Ranganathan Scries in Library Science, No. 12
THE FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
ACIA Dl IRt Mny<;p
Shiyali Ramamrita RanganatHan (1892-
)
© 1963 by Sarada RanganatHan Endowmcni
for Library. Science
Edition I UBt
Edition 2 1957
Reprinted
{ with minor amendments I
2 ■ ■■
N63
CFNTl,;’- ■”)LC010x\£»
III . :v bELHl.
Aco. No377\'1 -
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CONTENTS
Chap Page
Foreward by Sir P S Sivaswami Aiyer ... 11
Introduction by Mr W C Berwick Sayers 13
0 Genesis ... ... ... ... 19
05 Enunciation
06 Exposition
07 Publication
18 Sequel
0 1 Entrance into Library
Profession ' ,
02 First Experience
03 Library Trends
04 Scientific Method
1 First Law ... ... ■ ... ■ ... 26
15 Library Furniture
16 A Dialogue
17 Library Staff
18 Flirt Not with Fruits
2 , Second Law and Its Struggle . ... 80
20 Introduction 24 The Normal and the Abnormal
21 The Classes and the 25 Library Chorus
Masses 26 The Land and the Sea
22 The Men and the 27 The Adult and the Child
Women 28 Unlimited Democracy
23 The City-Folk and the
Country-Folk
1 1 Elemental Principle
12 Neglect of the Law
13 Library Location
14 Library Hours
3 Second Law and Its Digvijaya (World Conquest) 135
30 Scope
3! America
32 South- Africa
33 Eastern Europe
34 Scandinavia
35 Western Europe
36 Pacific Ocean
37 Asia
38 India
Second Law and Its Impucations
40 Scope
41 Obligation of the State
42 State Library Act
43 Union Library Act
44 Library System
45 University Library System
46 Obligation of the Library
Authority
4? Obli^tion of the Library Staff
48 OWigation of the leader
CONTENTS
Chap
5 Third Law ...
■ 50. Enunciation '
51 Open Access System
52 Shelf- Arrangement
53 Catalogue
. 54 Reference Service
6 Fourth Law
60 Introduction
61 Closed System
62 Shelf-Arrangement
63 Stack-Room Guides
64 Catalogue Entry
65 Bibliography
7 Fifth Law ...
70 Introduction
71 Growth in Size
72 Catalogue Room
73 Classification Scheme
■ Pact:
. ■ ... . ,...'258
55 Popular Departments :
56 Publicity
57 Extension Service
58 Book-Selection
... 287
66 Reference Service
67 Issue Method
68 Time of the Staff
691 Central Cataloguing
692 Library Location
. ... ... 326
74 Readers and Issue of Books
75 Stalf
76 Evolution
77 Vital Principle
8 Scientific Method, Library Science, and
March of Digvuaya ... ... ... 355
80 What is a Science ?
81 Scientific Method
82 Second Law and New
Types of Books and
Practices
83 Third Law and Docu-
mentation
84 Fourth Law and New Library
Practices
85 Fifth Law and its Diverse
Imports
86 Branches of Library Science
87 Teaching and Research
88 March of Digvijaya
Appendix 1 Specification for Unit Book-Rack ... 419
Appendix 2 Specification for Periodicals Table ... 421
Bibliography ... ... ... 423
Index
437
^1 W5=?rRtr?rTRt f q?sj i
?r ff^T ?[gTfi: 1?4 u ?5?e%ci: 11
*13: I
To carry knowledge to the doors of those that lack it and'
to educate all to perceive the right ! Even to give away the
whole earth cannot equal that form of service.
Mam.
The Five Laws of Library Science :
Books are for use
Every Reader His Book
Every Book its Reader
Save the time of the Reader
Library is a Growing Organism
jF«rT^qf-5n^-<T5=?f-3:?Tf^
ieTT%^ qsiBrgjfV rnm: 1
jpsiT ^ it
aMg: ?rir4 ^ 1
53 35r(X. li
FOREWORD TO THE' FIRST EDITION
T HE: library movement ' is of comparatively recent origin in
western countries, and is the result of democratic influences
which obtained an ascendancy - towards the end of the last
century. The desire to extend the benefits of learning to the
people at large suggested the foundation of numerous public
libraries. The possibilities of libraries as instruments of popu-
lar education have ever since occupied the attention of those
interested in this movement. Much thought has been given in
recent years to the best methods of popularising the use of
libraries.
The vast increase in the number of books published year
after year and in the additions made to libraries has given rise
to a large crop of questions regarding the organisation, admi-
nistration and management of libraries. Men’s outlook in re-
gard to these matters has undergone a radical change. Libraries
are now regarded not as precious possessions to be jealously
preserved from the intrusion of the vulgar, but as democratic
institutions for the profit and enjoyment of all. How to at-
tract readers to libraries, how to extend to all classes the
facilities for using them, how to render the maximum amount
of help to those who desire to use libraries and how to save
the time of the readers and the library staff alike are questions
which, simple as they may seem, demand no little thought,
imagination, skill and experience from the iibrarian.
A large mass of literature has grown up about this subject.
Library Associations have been started in many countries,
chairs have been founded in several Universities for the teach-
ing of library management ; and numbers of library journals
have come into existence. Attempts have been made to syste-
matize the knowledge on this subject and it is now claimed
that it has attained the status of a science. Whether the orga-
nisation and management of libraries is to be regarded as a
science or as an art, it is needless to consider. There can be
no doubt, however, that there are certain essential principles '
It
FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIEHGE
underlying the management of libraries according to present-
day needs and conceptions. „
The author of this book has sought to expound these prin-
ciples in a systematic form. He, has- been able to reduce them
to five cardinal principles and has developed alt the rules of
library organisation and management as the necessary impli-
cations and inevitable corollaries of his five laws. Once the
laws have been stated, they appear so obvious that one won-
ders that they were not clearly realised and worked out
before.
Mr. Ranganathan’s treatment of the subject is clear, logical
and lucid. He has brought to his task extensive knowledge of
the literature on the subject of libraries, personal acquaint-
ance with the methods of management of libraries in Britain,
a trained analytical intellect and a fervid but enlightened
enthusiasm for the library movement. He has been the pioneer
of the library movement in the Madras Presidency and has
been carrying on an energetic propaganda to spread it. He
knows how to rouse and sustain the interest of the reader and
has produced a very attractive and readable book. I have no
doubt it will meet with wide appreciation and soon come to
be recognised as a standard text-book of Library Science.
The Madras University is fortunate in possessing the author
as its librarian. Its library has developed in his hands into a
live human institution, which aims at a helpful personal touch
between the staff and the readers who use the library. The
enormous increase in the issue of volumes since the author took
charge of the library is a striking testimony to the soundness
of the principles on which it has been run and to the efficiency
of his management in spite of the very defective housing
conditions under which the library has been working.
The publication of this book by the Madras Library Asso-
ciation is not The least of its claims to the gratitude of the
public.
, P, S. SlVASWAMY AiYER.
■I fi
INTRODUCTION TO THE FIRST EDITION
T H I s is one of the most interesting books that 1 have read in
recent years upon our profession. It is unique, 1 believe, m
that it attempts for the first time a comprehensive survey by
a librarian who has a peculiarly Indian mind, and reflects his
own racial culture on the basic theories of the art of book
distribution as it is understood in the modern library world
To those who are new to our work it may be a wonder that
so much can be made out of what superficially appears to be
so simple a craft, but a perusal of Mr. Ranganathan s pages
will take the beginner a long way along the path ot enhghten-
Ranganathan is unusually equipped for his under-
taking. It is now several years since he placed himself for a
while under the direction of the lecturers and teachers of he
University of London School of Librarianship and he
came particularly associated with me. "^itlnok oer
man of considerable culture, very original in his oudook, per-
sistent and undeviating in his investigations, and wisely giv
to considering any suggestions that might be
Not only did he attend the lectures in librarianship at the
ulcX of London, ho made an intonaiv. stnd, o UbTO
work of all types by visits to libraries in various pai^ of the
Toum^ Vo! sLoLe he studied ever, day in ttn-'Craydon
Public Libraries, where I watched his work with interest. H
examined the processes of every department, and
time considering and criticizing the
way through he was seeking the reasoning that lies at the back
°^No °only was he interested in books and libraries, he spent
soL of hfs leisure in examining the educational me^ods m
the schools of the towns, and their relationship to libraries.
His critical outlook: went so far that he even started on a, new
FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
classification of books. This, as he tells us in a later part of
this volume, is employed in the University Library at Madras,
and in a few other Indian libraries which are beginning to
classify their books.
Such a course of study and such an attitude of mind could
not fail to produce a type of librarian whose work would be
of importance. The work before us is proof of this.
II
The practice of librarianship long preceded the formulation
of any laws whatsoever. In all crafts this is so, of course. It
is only slowly and from the continuous experience of workers
that a theory can be deduced and given a statement. Ours
may claim to be, however, one of the oldest crafts in the
world, and some of the quite ordinary processes which have
now been brought to such perfection that Mr. Ranganathan
is able to formulate their results as “ laws, ” existed in embryo
form in the Assyrian libraries and probably in earlier ones.
The clay tablet catalogues in the British Museum prove to us
that there were then not only libraries, but a systematic
library science. In later but still early years the work of such
librarians as Callimachus in the libraries of the Pharaohs
shows methods of management, especially in the classification
of books, that are the wonder of modern librarians who have
considered them.
Every great nation in the past has had its public libraries,
even if their use was sometimes limited to special classes of
the community, and in the general anarchy of European
civilisation which followed the fall of the Western Roman
Empire the monasteries still preserved and added to their
libraries.
Library history was largely influenced by this monastic pre-
servation of books, because for centuries libraries were limit-
ed to colleges and to other protected buildings, and their use
restricted to the inhabitants of these institutions. To preserve
the book was of as much and even of more consequence than
to get it used, That spirit has been passing away since the
14
INTRODUCTION TO T H E F I R S T ED iTl ON
middle of the nineteenth century. The great libraries of the
world, with varying degrees of generosity, have been thrown
open to external readers, and the attitude of the cmservateur
has given place to what I have ventured to call elsewhere the
exploiter of books as the right description of the librarian.
The principal factor in the modern attitude towards libra-
ries and books has been what are known in England and
America as “public libraries This term to-day has quite a
different meaning from what it had before 1850. Then, public
■ libraries were public in much the sense in which the public
schools of England are public; that is to say, they were limit-
ed in their use very largely to the governing classes. The
modern public library is a municipal institution supported by
towns for the free use of the citizens without discrimination.
They were Anglo-Saxon in their origin, and came into being
at about the same time in Great Britain and in the United
States. These libraries have now been built up with a special
technique of their own, with, in many cases, very large stocks
of books, and, literally, millions of readers.
One of the most significant social factors of the last half
of the nineteenth and the first quarter of the twentieth centu-
ries has been the widespread development of the reading
habit amongst western peoples. Even the more conservative
nations of Europe have now developed systems of libraries
more or less on the Anglo-Saxon model.
Ill
The modern view, then, of libraries is that which regards
all the population as its clientele. Even in university and
research libraries facilities are now given to serious students
without difficulty almost everywhere. This is the attitude
which the librarian in India will, I hope and believe, make his
own. It must be quite clear, however, that universal rules or
notions must always be given a local and individual appH<^-
tion. I do not think the library methods of America, much as
I admire them, are root and branch suitable for Europe or
even for England. The psychology of the people varies, and
itiii" "
FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
variants in library practice must be made to meet this fact.
Even more amongst the peoples of India, with their immense
history, powerful traditions, and distinctive racial qualities,
the application of merely Anglo-Saxon ideas to a thing so
intimate, personal and spiritual as literature, without modi-
fication, may not be wise. I have had many foreign students
in the libraries under my care, and I have always tried to im-
press upon them that what they learn from us should always be
considered carefully in the light of the needs of their own home
countries. I feel that this is immensely important in India.*
This, to my mind, gives its special value to Mr. Ranga-
nathan’s work. He deals with all the questions which exercise
the minds of European librarians. Book selection, with a
catholic mind which has determined that all sides shall be
heard, and that no personal preference shall have undue in-
fluence; the best methods of library furnishing and equip-
ment ; a considered statement of what can be done by the
catalogue and by the classification : these will be obvious to
the reader. He writes, too, as an educationist — as all good
librarians should — and 1 hope he has made quite clear that
the development of a literate nation, with a full love for its
great literature and a right understanding of the value of
books, must begin with considered and generous provision for
children.
In the West every child is a potential reader ; it must be so
in the East, even in places where the children have not yet had
opportunities to do much reading or to get access to book.s.
IV
A wise American librarian once remarked to me that a log
of wood with a book at one end and a librarian at another
would make a perfect library. That was a picture.squc exag-
geration, of course, but it is the personal element that the
librarian brings into the library which gives it its vitality.
Many libraries, alas, lack vitality; they have slaffs, but no
librarians. The spirit of the real librarian has never been
more, beautifully or wisely shown than in Austin Dobson’s
INTRODUCTION TO THE FIESt EDITION
epitaph on Richard Garnett, one of the greatest librarians of
the last ceriliiry
“ f )r him We may say justly,— Here was one
Who knew of most things more than any other ;
Who kneel all learning underneath the sun,
Ami looked on every learner as a brother.”
1 he implications of this are profound enough to humble
the most accomplished librarian. It implies that the librarian
must be a man of acquisitive mind who closes his mind to no
subject of human interest. He is always a learner ; he must
always be awake to and welcome every development of
human thought and every adventure of the human spirit. He
must, however, be a man educated not only in the general
sense but in every operation and process of libraries. He
must be a lover of other men. When young people come to
me as aspirants for library work I ask them, “Do you love
books?” They invariably reply that they do, but I ask them
next, “ Do you like people and serving people ? ” I rejoice
that in India there are men who now have taken in hand the
choosing and training of librarians. What the country holds in
the way of libraries I do not know fully, but with its great
literatures, in so many forms, there are no doubt many fields
of research and many library possibilities as yet undreamed
of even by the Indian himself.
Here, then, is a book that may be an inspiration to all
those who, in higher or humbler office, will serve India in her
libraries. Conceived in a broad, ungrudging spirit, it must
enthuse those who enter upon our profession in that country
with the immense. If sometimes undramatic, possibilities of a
iibrary. It will show it to be not merely a collection of books
which accumulates age and dust, but a living and growing
organism prolonging the life of the past and renewing it for
this generation, but giving also: to this generation the best that
Its own workers, thinkers and drearwpj have to offer.
W. C. Berwick Sayers,
’ Chiqf LBrgrmi^: Croydan
Imtum in thi tJnmmiiy qf l&ndm Sffkmi of Librarianship
Bmmimt m Libmfy OrgmimtimMthe Library Association.
CHAPTER 0
GENESIS '
§1 Entrance Into Library Profession
I n July 1923, the University of Madras created the post of
' University Librarian. In November, I was appointed its first
librarian. I was then teaching mathematics in the Presidency
College, Madras, one of the constituent colleges of the Uni-
versity. I started work as librarian in the afternoon of Thurs-
day, 4 January 1924. In the first few weeks, there was
hardly anything to do. I felt bored ; and I very much wished
to go back to the college. But friends advised me not to be
hasty. I occupied myself with the cataloguing of hundreds of
books lying in a heap. The number of readers visitiiig the
library seldom exceeded a dozen in a day.
02 First Experience
III October 1924, 1 joined the School of Librarianship in
the University College, London..- -.Its library was fairly ex-
haustive, though small. It did -not take more than a couple of"
months to study its books. After this theoretical equipment,
I picked up some practical experience by working in the
Croydon Public Libraries for about six weeks. During the next
six months, I visited about a hundred libraries of different
kinds. The librarians gave me full freedom to observe, to put
questions, and to discuss. This was the first experience. It was
a rich experience.
03 Library Trends
Libraries were, found to be in different stages of develop-
ment. This facilitated a comparative study of library practi-
ces. The forward trends were impressive. But, the lines of'
development in the different sectors of ■ library practice ap-
peared Unrelated. Discussion -.with' ■ those working in the
19':;'
03
FIVE LAW'S 'OF XIBRARY SCIENCE
different sectors led to the impression that- each was working
in his own sector without mxiGh of contact or correlation with
other sectors. Even those working in the same sector did not
show much evidence of team-work. There was no evidence of
an overall view. All these factors tended to hide the common
point of emergence of the trends in the different sectors/
Gonseq'uentiy, what co'uld be seen was only an aggregate of
diverse practices' without an integral relation. It looked as if
future developments were totally unpredictable. It all
appeared to be a matter of rule of thumbs and severely
empirical. '
04 Scientific Method
Prior CKperience in scientific study and pursuit induced a
sense of revolt against having to hold in memory and deal
with myriads of unrelated pieces of information and in-
dependent types of practices. Cannot all these empirical ag-
gregates of information and practices be reduced to a hand-
ful of basic principles? Cannot the process of induction be
applied in this case? Cannot all the known practices be got
by the process of deduction out of the basic principles ? Do
not the basic principles contain, as necessary implications,
many other practices not current or known at present ? Will
they not become necessary, as and when the boundary condi-
tions set by society change? Such questions began to simmer
in the mind. It was, no doubt, realised that the subject of
study belonged to the field of social sciences and not to that of
natural sciences. But scientific method was applicable equally
in both fields. The only difference lay in the status of the
basic principles. These were hypotheses in the natural scien-
ces and normative principles in the social sciences. But the
cycle of scientific method was similar in both cases. The
question to be answered was this: What are the normative
principles pointed to by the observed trends in library practi-
ces, and pointing to the future trends now not quite visible?
This was agitating the mind from the first half of 1925.
20
05 Enunciation
After return to India in July 1925, the over-whelming work
of organising and building up the Madras University Library ,
virtually from scratch, drove this problem out of the conscious
level. The 32,000 volumes of the library had to be classified and
re-catalogued ; concurrently with this, the Colon Classification
and the Classified Catalogue Code had to be designed and
developed. Open Access was started; and reference service
had to be done single-handed. Library publicity had to be
done in full measure ; and as a result, the daily attendance
shot up from two dozen to two hundred. The staff had to be
recruited and trained; concurrently, a manual of Library
Administration had to be evolved. The annual accession shot
up from 1,000 to 6,000. The design of the new library build-
ing claimed its own shai'e of thought. The pressure of all
these compulsory tasks was pushing the Normative Principles
into deeper and deeper layers of the mind. But, it was a con-
genial and helpful pressure. Every step in the design of the
Colon Classification, every rule in the formulation of the
Classified Catalogue Code, and every clause in the drafting of
the manual on Library Administration radiated from and got
irradiated by the Normative Principles, hidden away, by that
pressure, at the subconscious level. Reciprocally, the progress
and the needs of these tasks should have been unconsciously
shaping the Normative Principles into an effable form. This
went on for three years. The acute stage of emergence was
reached late in 1928. It was late one evening. The pressure
was reversed in direction. All other tasks had to be kept
aside. The travail was unbearable. At about dusk, Prof Edward
B. Ross made his usual daily call on me. I owed my intellec-
tual being to him; he was my professor of mathematics
throughout my university course ; his versatility and his affec-
tipn for me made him take intimate and intelligent interest in
my new sphere of work. He sensed my state of distress. I
shared my struggle with him. He was about to get on his
motorcycle; His eyes gleamed— always a sign of his hitting
sotnething new ; then came his characteristic smile of such
21.:''
06
FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SGIENCE
occasions ; and he said, ‘‘ You mean, ‘ Books are tor Use ’ ;
you mean that is your first law.” He went away without wait-
ing even to see my reaction ; this was quite like him. But
this stroke of intuition of his landed me in perfect relief.
The enunciation of the other laws was automatic. About
three more hours were spent in filling up five sheets of paper
with deductions from the five laws. Their enunciation was
thus complete.
06 Exposition
Then began the exposition of the implications of the laws
in the diverse sectors of library practice. There was no pro-
fessional organ in India in those days for library science. But,
a few years earlier I had taken part in starting the monthly.
South Indian Teacher: and I had the hospitality of its pages.
For the exposition of problems in library organisation and
reference service, of general interest to the public, the ///ndw,
a local daily, was kind enough to lend its columns for a few'
years. These articles in the Hindu served the double purpose
of library publicity and of releasing my tension. In Decem-
ber 1928, the University of Madras invited me to give a course
of Vacation Lectures to teachers. These were to be given at s
the time of the Provincial Educational Conference ; that year, ; j
it met at the Meenakshi College, Chidambaram, on the eve |
of its becoming the Annamalai University. There were about
a thousand teachers present ; and many of them were personal |
friends. There could not have been a more congenial and 'i
sympathetic audience for the first formal exposition of the I
newly enunciated Five Laws of Library Science. The impli- I
cations of each law were worked out in two lectures. Such :
of them as were in current practice were illustrated with lan-
tern slides, diagrams, and verbal description. Some new prac- ■
tices were also deduced as likely to come into being; some of ;
these have already done so ; the Imdoc list, started in 1954, is
one of them in substance. As the audience consisted all of I
teachers, the educational imjplicatiohs pf the Five Laws recei v- •
ed great emphasis. However, these are not fully given in this i
GENESIS
07
book. They became the sole subject of a separate senes of
vacation lectures delivered in Madras in three later years.
These lectures have been expanded into the School and college
libraries (1942). In December 1930, the First All-Asia ^u^-
tional Conference was held at Benares. Its organiser, P Sesha-
dri, invited me to be the Secretary of its Library Service Sec-
tion This gave me an opportunity to expound the Five
Laws to an audience of librarians; these were only a few m
those years. It gave a further incentive to work out in detau all
the implic.ations of the Laws of Library Science in the sphere
of library organisation and legislation. In fact I draned
a Model Library Act. This was discussed at the comer-
ence clause by clause. The Library Act of Madras (1948) was
based on this Model Act. The Library Act of Hyderabad
(1955) also has followed it. This Model Act was embodied in
Chapter 4 of the first edition of this book. In this edition,
however, it has been replaced by an improved bolder version,
drafted in 1950 to suit the independent sovereign status ot
India. Above all, the School of Library Science, started in
April 1929, gave an opportunity for the systematic exposition
of the Five Laws, once every year.
07 Publication
The Madras Library Association was founded in January
1928 to promote the establishment of a state-wide library ser-
vice. Nearly 800 members were enrolled within a short
period. Naturally, they were all lovers of books and friends
of library, but not of the library profession. In fact, there
were hardly ten persons in the profession in Madras in those
days. To enlist the active interest of the members, Mr.
K. V. Krishnaswamy Ayyar, the President, conceived the
idea of asking some of them contribute to a symposium.
There was a good response to this. The symposium was pub-
lished in 1929 under the title Library movement: A collec-
tion of essays by divers hands. The leading essay was the one
on What makes a library big by Rabindra Nath Tagore, the
national poet. In 1930} it wa$ dedided to start a regular
■ ■ ' 23'.. '
07 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
Publication Series “ on the technical and practical aspects of
library work.” It was felt appropriate to start with a volume
giving a full exposition of the Five Laws of Library Science,
from which all the others could stem as necessary implica-
tions. Accordingly, the first edition of this book was pub-
lished in June 1931. Through God’s grace, the later volumes
flowed in succession, year after year, working out the implica-
tions of the Five Laws in one branch after another of Lib-
rary Science. About 48 books were thus published. Some
were published by the Madras Library Association ; and
some by other agencies. And by 1953, the twenty-first volume
of the series of the Madras Library Association was reached i
It was Library science in India : Silver Jubilee volume presented
to the Madras Library Association.
Two friends spent several days with me in shaping the first
edition. Mr. K. Swaminathan, then Professor of English in
the Presidency College, took great pains to examine every
sentence critically and reduce faults in language and style to
a minimum. Sir P. S. Sivaswamy Ayyar— a respected states-
man of India, a former Member of the Government of
Madras, a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of
Madras and of the Benares Hindu University, an erudite
scholar, and a great lover of books— read all the pages of the
proof, made many suggestions of value, and finally furnished
the Foreword. My professor in London. W. C. Berwick
Sayers, wrote the introduction. It was from him that the
greatest inspiration was derived. Apart from listening to him
in the class-room, I had spent several hours with him infor-
mally. He was of help in many ways to make the year in
Great Britain truly profitable. My regard and affection to
these three gentlemen have made me retain the original text,
the foreword, and the introduction in the present edition.
08 Sequel
But, during the quarter century, that has elapsed since tne
first edition was published, two fundamental changes have
come. One is the generalisation of the eohcqpt “ Book ; ” this
' 24 ' '
GENESIS
08
has been emphasised in recent years in 'the term Docuinen-"
tation/’ The second change is the generalisation of the term
Growth ; this is a change in my own ideas, brought about
while.' teaching in the .class-room' and working on the Library
development plan {195Q) and Library book selection (1953).
Further it was felt desirable to answer the question, "'Is there
a library Science?*) Moreover,; library movement has made
great strides in ■ many lands, including India. To accommo-
date these cha.nges,-a:ii eighth chapter has been added, with the
litie '' Scientific Method, Library Science, and March of Dig-
vijayai* It is this chapter that is new in this edition.
12 August 1956^
248 Hofmesenstrasse, Zurich 57,
CHAPTER 1
FIRST LAW.
11 Elemental Principle
T h E first law of Library Science is like the first law of any
other science. It embodies an elemental principle. In fact, it
is self-evident; one may be inclined to say that it is trivial.
But, that is an invariable characteristic of all first laws. Take,
for example, the first Upanishadic law of conduct—
Vada — speak the truth. So is Newton’s first law of motion.
Ill Enunciation
The first law of Library Science is : Books Are for U.se.
No one will question the correctness of this law. But, in
actual practice, the story is different. The law has been seldom
borne in mind by library authorities.
12 Neglect of the Law
We may examine the history of any aspect of library prac-
tice ; and we shall find ample evidence of a deplorable neglect
of this law.
121 Chained Library
Let us take, in the first place, the way in which books were
kept in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. It was not un-
common in those days to have books actually chained to the
shelves. The books were fitted with brass frames and rings,
which were tied to iron chains, whose bther ends were safely
fastened to the shelves. Such chained books could not migrate
from the shelves beyond the length of the chain. Their free-
dom was confined to the sphere determined by their chains.
Certainly, such chaining was mom conducive to the preserva-
tion than to the use of the books. In fact, libraries were then
regarded, not as organisations for furthering the mv of
books, but as institutions for preserving them.
FIRST..L:A.W,
123
122 'Preservation, for Poster.ity ■
. It may be of interest, to’ reflect for a while on' this elaborate
process of preservation. 'What must have been the purpose of
such preservation? It is 'difficult to think of any purpose
except that of preserving for the; use of posterity. ' No^ doubt,
It is a healthy or, at any rate,:an unavoidable trait of human
.nature, that we think of our' children— --of our posterity — and
that we are even prepared to deny ourselves many things, in
order to hand them over unimpaired to posterity. But an in-
evitable deduction is implied in this practice . Even as ore
anxious to hand over our books to posterity, every succeeding
generation may be actuated by. an exactly similar altruistic
motive; and in consequence books may have to be for ever
in chains and. may never be released for use. This aspect of '
the question seems to . have escaped notice for a long time and'
' Books Are for, Preservation'.’ had usurped the place' of;
‘ Books Are FOR Use
123 Inherited ' Mabit
This tendency to lioard books had' originated at a time when
books were' rare and difficult to produce. Before the invention
of ' printing, it took years to. ' copy a book. ' 'Copying the
Mahabharata was work for a whole lifetime. Under such
conditions, there was justification for forgetting that Books
Are for Use and for overdoing the act of preserving
them. But this tendency appears to have unfortunately deve-
loped into a regular habit, as a result of long practice. The
situation was thoroughly altered by the invention of printing.
And yet, it took centuries to overcome this long-inherited
habit. The first step was to declare an amnesty for the books
and set them free from their chains. But, even after they were
unchained and w^ere permitted 4o be taken out for use and
handled by readers, there was for along time, a generous
recognition, on the part of those niaintaining and managing
libraries, of the right of readers to an unhampered use of
books. The restrictions placed ki.tbeway of books beiiig'ffee-
ly used were many'p and^'it' iS'Oniy In recent years thaUa
123 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARV SOiENO^E
vigoroiis move-roeiit seems to have setinto eliminate all such
handicaps. Such a movement has by no means . become
universal as yet. There are several '.countries— and our land
seems to have a fair claim to be classed with them — which are
still hardly affected by this new movement, ■
124 Example ‘1
A Professor in a College ■ ruled ■ over ■ his department for
nearly a quarter of a century, ..The pursuit of : his subject—
■ zoology—siowiy narrowed the range of his vision ; and 'he be'V
came mechanical !y minded. Trivial details began to loom
large for Mm. Hence he came to attend personally to the
meticulous discharge of every item of routine, from the open-
ing of the doors and windows to the periodical ernplying of
waste-paper baskets. He was given -to getting into a rage if
everything was not in its place. Unfortunately, under the force
of this inexorable tendency, he came to regard the shelves
rather than the hands of readers as the proper place for books.
The assistants, whose advance in their cadre depended on
the goodwill of the Professor, would rather forego the use of
books than run, the risk of exciting his rage by drawing the
books from the shelves. The students of the first year course,
who alone were strangers to his idiosyncrasies, would occa-
sionally ask for the books of the departmental library. He
used to dispose of them with this dilemma : Have you fol-
lowed the class lostures ? If so, you do not want these books.*’
**Were you unable to follow the class lectures? If so, you
cannot profit by reading these books.’* The senior students
' would not approach him at all, since they had had painful
experiences of the futility of such attempts. The result was
that, when Ee retired at long last, his successor had to cut
open the pages of several of the books bequeathed to him !
In some cases, it! was even found that it was not worth-while
^ to waste time in 'cutting them open; for, they had gone cn-
’ tirely out of date and had !<>■ be discarded. Would such a
. professorial career have b^ pcxsaiMtif the College had acted
. on the Books, ^Aee ; Mm . \
125
FIRST LAW
^ 125 ExamplE'2
' , The .extraordmary ' strength and inexorabili ty of this inherit-
ed tendency, which stands between the books and their users,,
is brought out by the case of another Professor—this time, a
Professor of Philosophy. The Professor was a philosopher
not only by profession but also by practice and temperament.
He was also one of those that felt an urge for social service.
One form of social service that our Professor of Philosophy
decided to render was to- give a. -chance for his neighbours to
become learned. To this end, he used to invest most of his
savings in books. When he had made up a good collection,
he built a nice little reading hut to house the books. He used
to spend ' most of his spare time in this reading hut, so that
he may serve out the books personally. He was, however,
very disappointed at the ultimate indifference of his neigh-
bours. So, one day he took me to his reading hut to take
advice. On his way he was waxing eloquent over the excellent
books he had bought for the library, the depressing indiffer-
ence of the people of his locality to the use of books, and so
on. The conversation that ensued as soon as we entered the
charming but desolate reading hut threw a flood of light on
the persistence of the long-inherited preserving habit which
could smother even the sincere resolve and the good inten-
tions of an honest philosopher.
“Where are your books, my friend?”
“ Ail these ten almirahs are full of them. I spent a hundred
rupees on each of these almirahs. I had them specially made,
etc., etc., etc.”
“ But, my dear Professor, why have you lined their lovely
transparent glass doors with these ugly sheets of brown
paper ? ”
“ You don’t know how these visitors bother me. If I donT
stick up this brown paper, they look at the books through
the glass door. They ask for this book and that, and I have
to pull out all the books.”
Poor vanquished philosopher,;! Comment is needless.
See section 61^5 of Seqwel ' ’
■ 29 ;
126
FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE '
126 Example 3
While such things are common with us in the twentieth
century, we have only to go a century back to find the iron sway
of this hoarding habit over American Libraries. T. W. Koch
of the North-western University records a significant but
typical story ' of a librarian of Harvard. The Harvard
University Librarian “once completed an inventory of the
library and was seen crossing the yard with a particularly
happy smile ”. When he was asked the reason for his excep-
tionally pleasant mood, he exclaimed with pride, “All the
books are in excepting two. Agassiz has those and l am going
after them ”.
127 Modern Librarian
On the other hand a modern librarian, who has faith in
the law that ‘ Books Are for Use,’ is happy only when
his readers make his shelves constantly empty. It is not the
books that go out that worry him. It is the stay-at-home
volumes that perplex and depress him. He too will constantly
cross the yard to meet his Agassizes. But he will go to them,
not to snatch away the books they are using, but to distri-
bute the new arrivals that need to be introduced to them as
rapidly as possible.
128 Force of First Law
The different stages by which the force of the law,
“ Books Are for Use,” worked out the gradual remo-
val of the restrictions induced by the aforesaid inherited
habit may be summarised as follows : — The chains were first
removed and sold as old iron ; but access was limited to the
chosen few. Then those that could pay were allowed the use
of the books. Then came the further step of making them
free to ail, but only for use in the premises of the library.
Then, lending to the favoured few; then, to all who paid the
fee ; and at last, lending free to all I^erhaps we arc just
reaching this stage in our land, But thW was by no means
the end elsewhere, where the ffi&t law had been familiar
!31
V ■■ FIRST LAW
sufficiently long, to lay bare all, tbe' implications embedded deep
ill its bosom. Im such places, aggressive methods, which have
made other enterprises successful, came to be employed to
push forward the use^ of books.. Then branch libraries were
opened in the larger cities in order to provide a fair collec-
tion of books and an inviting reading room within, a few
minutes’ walk from each'ffiome.- Then books were sent out
for a nominal fee to those who could not conveniently come
after them. Then boxes of books were sent free to the homes
of those that would offer to get' them introduced in their
neighbourhood. The latest is that ■ books are carried in- a
motor- van from street to street for . distribution among the
residents. What further triumph is in store for the first law,,
it is difficult; to guess. But,- as .stated by J. P. Quincy, one is
tempted to adapt a well-known Celtic paradox by saying that
a public library is as good as a private one and, for the effect-
tive study of books, has decided advantages over it.®
13 Library Location
The location of a library may, in general, be taken as an
index of the degree of faith that the authorities of the library
have in the law. Books Are for Use.
131 Example 1
I happened to visit Dindukkal, a municipal town in the
sooth. The city-fathers of the place invited me for a discus-
sion about building a library for the town. The question of
site turned up at a very early stage. Practically ail of them
suggested a place in the outskirts of the town. One of their
reasons for suggesting such a remote site was that there was
too much dust in the centre- and that .the books would be
spoiled. Another reason adduced was that, otherwise, “all
sorts of fellows” would get, into 'the library. It never struck
them that the function of the library waS' to make all sorts
'Of fellows” use its books and' that the dust problem should
not be allowed 'to drive away the library beyond the zone of
accessibility aud' 'usefulness. On The 'Other hand, they -were
'3,1
131
FIVE LAWS OF LIB R ARY SCIENCE
shocked to hear me suggest a site in the bazaar street running
through the heart of the town. I had to cite the example of
several of the cities of the West and expound elaborately the
gospel of library organisation before they would concede that
there was at least something to be said in favour of my sug-
gestion. -
132 Example 2 , j.
In a Kellett, Hall lecture of not long ago— before the bus
service came into being— the talented speaker, S* Satyainiirti,
humorousiy fixed the; co-ordinates of one of our big libraries • ,
as follows Find a. place' in the. city which is at least
mile from any tram-line or any railway station, which has not
■even a rickshaw-stand within a ■■ radius of half a which
has the'' nearest college or' students’ hostel at a distance of
three miles. There is perhaps only one place in the city ans-'
wering such a description and that is the place chosen for our
library.” And yet nobody grumbled : because a library was^*
regarded more as an ornament' to the city than as an institu-
tion whose primary function was to spread the use of books.
See section 8132 of Sequel
133 Example 3
On the other hand, in all western cities that have a living
‘ faith in the First Law of Library Science, and vote for and
mamtain libraries, because they are anxious that books should
be used, the main library is usually housed in the centre of
the city— at a place to which most of the citizens will be ob-
liged to go daily on some business or other. It also works
through several branches and delivery stations in different
parts of the city, so that distance may not stand in the way
of the free and full use of books. Dublin, for example, has
five such district libraries for her population of 3, 24, (MW.
Even thrifty Edinburgh, with its population of 4,20,000, has
already established seven bimiich libraries. Manchester has
found the need for thirty' branches Id get her books fully used
by her people, who BirminghaiB, with her
FIRST I. AW
135
population of 9,19,000, does -not find her twenty-four branch
libraries adequate to spread: the use 'of her books, Toronto,
with only a population of 5,50,000 has already established
fifteen branches and intends - to. build more of them. Cleve-
land, which is the home of about e,igh:t hundred thousand
people, distributes her book co-llection through 25 branches
and 108 delivery stations-; while 46 branches and 275 delivery
stations are found too inadequate for the 3,000,000 people
of -Ch,icago. .
134 Shop-Location Analogy .
Once the idea that -‘Books Are tor Use’ is firmly
established, once the libraries realise that their existence is
justified only by the extent to which their books are used by
readers, there will be no difference of opinion about their
location. A location, such as the one described by our Keliett
Hal! lecturer, would never be thought of. A shrewd shop-
keeper, who wants his wares to sell, puts up his shop in the
Sanmdhi of a popular temple. A coffee-house owner, who
wants his business to thrive, establishes his cafe near a big
students’ hostel like the Victoria Hostel. A betel-vendor,
keen on his daily turn-over, pitches his tent opposite to a big
and popular hotel. So also a library, keen about its books
being fully used, will plant itself in the midst of its clientele.
Conversely, the Sannidhi of no popular temple is without a
shop and the vicinity of ail hostels invariably gets studded with
coffee-hotels and betei-shops. The same is the case with lib-
raries. Wherever people habitually congregate, that is a
potential site for a library.
135 Example 4
An extreme but a happy illustration of this deduction from
the First Law of Library Science is afforded by the “ Garden,
Library ” of Lisbon;® :
Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, built on Seven > Hills like
our Tiruppati and comparable to our Madura in size and
population, has gained a, uniqfie place in -the library world.
: , ■ " ','.13' ' ^ ' T'
135
FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
A Portuguese proverb clainas ** Who has not seen Lisbon has
not seen a thing of beauty/’^ Whether such a claim is valid
or not, Lisbon has certainly excelled all other cities in her
unique Garden Library which is certainly a thing of
beauty.
On the flank of one of its Seven Hills, overlooking the
blue surface of the Tagus, there is a sunny, little public garden
with a marble basin in the centre round which flowers riot in
rainbow tints, and children shout and run in joyous ecstasy.
At the far end, there is a giant cedar-tree spreading like
an umbrella defying sun and rain. Inside its intense shadow,
deep silence prevails ; and you find a line of chairs encircling
an enchanting collection of volumes in a lovely bookcase.
Students in their flowing cloaks, workmen white with lime
dust, raw rustics with timid and listless eyes, office and shop
employees munching their lunch, soldiers, printers, electri-
cians, sailors and dock-hands, all share the contents of this
unique Library, unhampered by any formality but aided by
the nimble, sweet-faced Librarian fluttering from end to end
with her beaming smiles.
Who conceived this idea? It was a private Educational
Society known as the ‘‘ Free University.” Hoping to foster a
love of reading among all classes, the Free University found-
ed this Garden Library, supplying the books and the furni-
ture. The Lisbon city-fathers, who were themselves believers
in the First Law of Library Science, warmly approved of this
venture and lent the services of a Librarian.
There are only less than a 1,000 volumes but they arc
changed from time to time. They have a little of everything—
Classics, Living Authors, Travels, History, Electricity, Che-
mistry, Shorthand, Book-keeping, Building, Smithy, Naviga-
tion and so on. And these are eagerly sought by all the
visitors to the Garden, The Library is open daily from 10 to
6. Statistics show that during the first year there were no less
than 25,000 readers using this Library. May the shadow of
the ancient cedar in the public garden of the city of the Seven
Hills nevfer grm lesli(.May if:,^ng'^l^ovide shelter for this,
: •' 34-' V-;' Vs’L' / i
FIRST LAW
136
patriotic , enterprise,.' in the service, of. the, gospel, " Books
Are TOR, Use 'M '
136 Example 5
, Iii schools and colleges also,, the location of their libraries
may be taken as reliable' index of the degree of faith of the
authorities, . in the la'w,, ' Books ' Are" for Use ' The evolu-
tion of ideas regarding the location and the size of school and
college libraries has been closely parallel to the gradual
growth of the belief in. that law. I knew a school, intiinately.
Its library consisted of a few hundred, books made up mostly
of specimen copies of text-books given away by the teachers
of the school as not worth private appropriation. These few
hundreds of books were carefully locked up in a wooden
book-case. This was itself locked in a room, ten feet square,
and ventilated by a single small window. There was a more
terrifying feature. The headmaster invariably held his classes
—including his innumerable special classes^ — in the hall leading
to that room, ♦almost blocking the entrance to it. Those that
know the mortal dread in which headmasters were held in
such schools, twenty-five or thirty years ago, will realise what
this meant for the books of the library. For those who do
not know, it may be said that the appearance of the head-
master’s figure at the street-corner was enough to make a
group of schoolboys, playing at marbles in the evening sun, fly
for their life and take shelter in the darkest corners of the
kitchens of the nearest houses, where their timid tell-tale eyes
and ways would make the mothers exclaim, ‘ Is the headmaster
going to the temple? ’ Hardly any of the boys would dare to
come out of his hole, until the boldest dare-devil among them
could make bold to peep out stealthily and announce, in a
cheering tone, "‘The line is clear.” With this information, it
may be easy to realise how effective such a location for the
school library should have been in preventing the library
books from being used. Certainly, that school did not be-
lieve, in those days, that ' BwKS Wfre tor Use; ” and that
school was' by no means an ex^ptibh* ‘ ^ : 4 :
iiiiili
mi-
137
FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
137 Example 6
Not long ago, the Principal of a big college invited nae to
pay a visit to his college library and to suggest 5°"^®
ments I gladly went. I was received with great kindness and
taken'thro^h a maze of narrow, dark, f-ntjlated roonis
or corridors, which had almirahs along the walls. Wh®n th
other end was nearing, I asked the Principal where his library
was and when he would take me to it. To my surprise, I wa
told that we had all along been passing only t roug e
library. Wondering at this queer provision, in a college, ot a
place for the boys to play hide-and-seek during their lunch-
interval 1 asked the Principal why such an unhappy situation
was selected for the College library. The prompt and inno-
cent reply of the Principal was, “ These rooms are unfit tor
anything else and they have to be put to some sort of use.
Would such a naive reply have come forward, it the First
Law of Library Science had any hold on the authorities ot
that college? Twenty years ago, we occupied our new build-
ing. The nicest room facing the sea was given over to perio-
dicals. I was in a small room at the west end. A misfit to the
library profession happened to come. He expressed
at my having made the worst room the librarian’s room. “ It
I were you, I would have my office in your periodicals room,”
he said. I replied,” If the First Law had not revealed itself
tome, I too might have done so.” “ —mn your First Law.
If ever I succeed you, you will see what I do,” was the
prompt reply!
138 Example 7
What BOW prevails in our schools and colleges obtained
some sixty or seventy years ago in the schools and colleges of
the West. Speaking at the dedication of the Library of the
Colorado College, in March 1894. Mr. Harper, the first Presi-
dent of the Chicago University, said quarter of a century
ago, the library in most of our institutions, even the oldtsst,
was scarcely large enough.. to deserve* the name of library
.v.i know of ' a college, having enrolment' of one hundred
,,,
FIRST -LAW
139
and .fifty stiideiit^^^ a room ten by twelve 'hav
the name of library ::h two hundred and fifty VG,!umes...
So: far as it had location, it was the place to which the Profes-
sor was accustomed to make his way occasionally, the student
never... The place, seldom frequented, was some out of theway
room which could serve no -other -purpose.’'" 'Almost the
very words of the Principal ..mentioned in the last paragraph !
139 Example 8
' But all this changed, the moment the First Law of Library
Science came to establish itself in the minds of the people.
At present, several colleges in the West, which believe
that ‘Books Are for Use ’ and feel that one of their pri-
mary duties is to develop the book-habit in their undergra-
duates, assign their very best room for library purposes. Not
only do they give their best room, they allot quite a number
of such rooms for the library. At least in one college of the
West, whose “books were placed in corridors, cellars and
attics ” till this law weighed with it, the floor area of the lib-
raries of the college is now nearly half the floor area of the
whole college. To quote Harper again, “ To-day the chief
building of a college, the building in which is taken greatest
pride, is the library. With the stack for storage purposes,
the reading-room for reference books, the offices' of delivery,
the rooms for seminar purposes, it is the centre of the institu-
tional activity... A greater change from the old can hardly be
conceived... The time is near when the student will do little of
his work in the study ; he must be in the midst of books. As
the scholar, though having thousands of volumes in his own
library, must find his way to the great libraries of the Old
World when he wishes to do the work of highest character, so
the University student, though having hundreds of volumes in
his own room, must do his work in the library of the institu-
tion...His table must be where, without a moment’s delay,
without the mediation of a zealous librarian, who perhaps
thinks more of the book than of its use, he may place I
hand upon that one of ten or twenty thousand books whi
■ , B7: . . .. VT',:, i:
IS' .
h
m
139
F! V'E'' .L A'W S :,0F' L I'B R A.R'Y ; S;C I E N:G E. ,
he desires to use...That factor of our college and University
work, the library, fifty years ago almost unknown, to-day al-
ready the center of the institution’s intellectual activity, half
a century hence will, by absorbing all else, have become the
institution itself.” ^
14 Library Hours
The influence of the law ‘ Books Are For Use ’ has been
no less profound on Library Hours. So long as the tn-
herited notion about preservation had the upper hand and
the law ‘Books Are For Use’ had not fully asserted itself,
the library was more often closed than kept open. Per-
haps it was more frequently opened for the bookworms to be
chased out and the books to be dusted than for the readers to
enter or for the books to be issued for use. The registers of
books borrowed for the decade 1730-40 from the Bodleian
library of Oxford are said to show that only rarely were more
than one or two books issued in a day. Sometimes a whole
week is said to have passed over without a single entry being
made. An interesting memento said to be preserved by that
library dates from 1806. Finding the library closed, a scholar,
angry with disappointment, affixed to the door of the library
a scrap of paper containing words which the Muse of Greece
supplied him with for the relief of his feelings ; “ Woe unto
you who have taken the key of knowledge ! Ye enter not
yourself and hinder those who come”. In his Story of the
University of Edinburgh, Sir Alexander Grant deplores how,
in the early nineteenth century, the hours of the University
Library restricted the facilities afforded to the students for
making use of the library. Books might be taken out only
during two hours on two days of the week. According to
Koch, the library of the Amherst College was open, in 1850,
only once a week from one to three in the afternoon. The stu-
dents of the Princeton University could use its library only for
one hour twice a week, while tl^feir contemporaries at Missouri
were allowed only one hour.for #o*weeks. In the Columbia
CoUege,!Which was started in many years, “fresh-
‘ 's 1 ‘ ’* ^ ''i i ‘ ’f ' ‘ v’
:meE' and sophomores ' visit." the; library only
.•on.ce 'a month to gaze at the backs of books'.,, the juniors were
taken there once a .week by a tutor who. gave, verbal infor-
mation about the' contents of the books, but only seniors...
could draw from' the library' during one .hour on Wednesday
afternoons '
.141 Flouting First Law
. If the library ' hours were, till late in the last century, of such
small magnitude in the land of libraries, one can easily ima-
gine the conditions that obtain at present in our school and
college libraries, of course, wherever they exist ! The practice
of one big college may serve as an illustration. Theoretically,
it has ' two issue-days ’ per week. But, let not the occurrence
of the word “ day ’ by any means mislead one to multiply the
‘ two ’ by twenty-four or even by twelve to arrive at the num-
ber of library hours per week. In practice, the professor-in-
charge, had conveniently interpreted the ‘‘ two issue-days ’’ as
two quarter-hours. His displeasure no discreet boy would dare
incur. One might wonder what takes place in the library
during the remaining hours of the week. Well, the books
enjoy their eternal undisturbed repose behind locked doors,
in a dark, closed room.
1411 An Actuality
The Madras University Library experimented for a long
time with its hours. The people, literate enough to use its
books, had their office-hours between 1 1 a.m. and 5 p.m. on
week-days. Saturdays and Sundays were usually holidays with
them. During these days, they were accustomed to. devote the
morning hours to social visits, household purchases and such
other week-end business ; after the luxury of a late meal and
a midday nap, they would find themselves fit for study or for
a serious visit to the library only in the afternoon. The hours
finally arrived at by the library, after its endless experiments
and investigations fitted in w^ith thd habit of its cl in an
ideally wrong way. It actually dfeoided to keep itself open be-
1411 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
iwcen 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on week-days and from 7 a.m. to
2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays ! Can a more effective deci-
sion be imagined for a place where the First Law of Library
Science was almost a heresy? On another occasion when the
authorities of a library were solemnly discussing ways and
means to meet a great increase in the issue of books, a veri-
table Daniel came “ to judgment .”
“ When do you have the greatest rush in the day?” asked
the Daniel.
“ In the evening, between 4 and 6 ”, said the librarian.
“There you are,” came forth the solution, “Close the lib-
rary at four instead of at six. That will end the bother.”
There was a meek murmur, " They are the only hours when
most of the students and teachers can use the Library.”
“Too much reading is no good, you know” retorted the
strong-willed Daniel.
Poor First Law! So summarily and unceremoniously
thrown overboard! But you must not refuse your clemency
to South India ; for, all climes and times have an equal claim
on your clemency. South India is not alone in showing you
disrespect at this late hour. Remember the recent lamenta-
tions of a Parisian librarian : “ Generally speaking, a school
library in France was a closed cupboard opened once a fort-
night or once a month .”
142 Magic of First Law
But the magic of thz Mantra ‘Books Are for Use’ has
made marvellous changes in the library hours in the other
places of the West. Even the Bodleiah, groaning under the
undiscriminating weight of medieval tradition, has, now
broken the shackles of an old injunction about lights. It had
formerly made its hours keep pace with the erratic sun of
the north. The long prohibited electric light is now making
its hours not only uniform but also fairly long. Other libra-
ries had surrendered to the dictates of the First Law even
earlier. According to the American Library Association’s
survey of the libraries,’ ‘ the hours, during which the libraries
40 V
FIRST LAW
143
■are opeii: daily ^ to fourteen ’ The Amherst
eollege which, eighty: years ago, was keeping its library open
for bare three hours in a week, now keeps it open for nearly
a hundred hours in a' week. In fact its daily hours are said to
'.be 8 a.m. to 10-30 p.mr The Cornell University does siiiiilarly.
The Oregon University , opens the library daily at :' 7-30 a.m.
and closes it G:iily at 10 p.m. Even the Madras University Lib-
rary has fixed 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. as its hours of opening and
closing, for every day in the year including Sundays and other
holidays. God willing, it may soon emulate the University
College of London in its nocturnal vigils. It is not only the
college and -University libraries that have responded ' to the
call of the First Law of Library Science. The reponse, of the
Public Libraries has been no less eager. The majority of them,
which keep Books for Use, are open daily from 9 a.m. to
9 p.m,, while some, as in San Francisco and Seattle, work
even till 10 p.m.
143 All Waking Hours
There is no need to multiply statistics. It may be asserted
boldly that the a pr/nr/ reasoning about library hours leads
only to results that are consistent with such new practices.
In no country, where the law, ‘ Books Are for Use’ has
taken root in the Public Mind, will any library be allowed to
close till the majority of humanity go to bed and so cannot
use it. Nor can it be kept closed after they rise from bed.
Nor will any library be allowed to close on any day of the
year, — not even on Sundays, even in Christian countries. The
public demand long hours and the library authorities appre-
ciate the soundness of this demand. It is indeed considered
criminal to close a library at any time when people can con-
veniently use it. One might ask, what about the cost of estab-
lishment, if it is to be kept open for long hours and on all
days. Modern society maintains that any extra money spent
on library establishment is legitimately spent and is well spent.
After all, what is the proportion of the extra cost of establish-
ment to the enormous benefit flowing from a wider use of the
41
h. s. — 3
143
I
FI VE L A^W'.S' OF:-:L'rB'RARY/ SCIENCE
library. What a large sum of money-is locked up m
of libraries ! Is it not penny wise and pound foolish to grudge
a few rupees more on the establishment and to restrict the full
use of such a treasure ?" Sometimes, wisdom consists in throw--
ing good money after better.
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ; but if you please
To shoot another arrow that seif way
Which you did shoot the first, I do not doubt
As i will watch the aim. . .to find both.”8
144 All Day and All Night
/But in the matter of library 'hours, the palm goes to the
University College, London. The inaugural address to fresh-
men was delivered in my year, by a lucky coincidence by Dr.
E. A. Baker, the Director of the School of Librarianship. He
mentioned in proud terms that the University College was a
pioneer and a breaker of traditions. He cited several facts in
support of his claim. I don’t remember, however, that he in-
cluded the achievements of the college in the matter of lib-
rary hours. To put it shortly, the library hours of the Univer-
sity College are not fixed by the college at all. They are left
entirely in the hands of each individual student. Each student
is given a latch-key for the library of his or her Department ;
and he or she is at liberty to use the library at any time he
or she likes-— day or night — the last word on library hours !
This ideal is whole-heartedly endorsed, in the final report of
May 1927 of the Public Libraries Committee, appointed in
1924 by the President of the Board of Education of Great
Britain. It observes Inasmuch as there is no hour of the
night or day at which a citizen may not feel the need to
peruse some book which is not in his possession, the ideal
arrangement would be that libraries should always be open
to the public.’’ ®
15 Library Furniture
Next, let us see the effect of the law ‘'Books Are for
Use’ on library furniture. One may say with confidence
‘ Show me your library furniture and I shall tell you whether
you believe in the First Law of Library Science or not.’ To
42
FIRST LAW
16
begin; 'with,: m rival dictum 'Books Are
FOR Preservation ’ ■ ruled, the library ’racks were built only
with, a view ^ to pre,servation. The problem was to accommo-
date the maximum number of books in the least space and
at the lowest cost. The Rule of Least Space left the height of
the book-racks entirely to be determined by the height of the
ceiling. Not even an inch of vertical space should bC' wasted.
Hence each rack should' begin at the very bottom, and go right
up to the ceiling. Similarly, another. co,ro!Iary of. the Rule of
Least Space was that not an inch of horizontal space, beyond
the absolute minimum, should be wasted. This required that the
gangway between book-racks should be as narrow as possible —
just enough for an attendant to pass through — say a foot and
a half or two at the most. Again, in the absence of chaining,
each rack should be at least provided with doors, locks and
keys. The Rule of Least Cost required that the furniture of
the reading-room should be as simple and as cheap as prac-
ticable. The reader had no business to expect comfort. Other
furnishings, the reading-room need not have. No hangings to
make the room more attractive. No charming pictures or in-
spiring portraits on which the tired eyes of a reader may now
and then rest and refresh themselves. But the advent of the
First Law of Library Science threw on these, Rules of Least
Space and of Least Cost, a delightful spell ; and it has com-
pletely transformed them.
.16 A Dialogue. .
First Law : Your methods are intolerable. They must go.
Rule of Least Space : Can you kindly descend to the level of
particulars?
First Law: Take your book-racks first. How do you ex-
pect the top of these sky-scrapers to be reached ?
Rule of Least Space : Use a ladder 1
First Law : That is more easily said. It is all right with the
trained nimble library attendants. Perhaps, you do not
know that I am going to allow every reader to pick
out any book he wants directly from the shelf.
43
16 FIVE LAWS OF L I B'R A R Y, : S C I E N G E.,
Ruie of Least Space : It is news to ; me. I have; never heard"
of that.
First Law: Oh ! I see, Is it so ?■ Yes, any reader will go
to the shelf. Now, imagine a corpulent reader climbing
a ladder, for the first time in his life, in his enthusiasm
book. Imagine his.- fiddling at' the top, failing
V; down and breaking' his neck. Who is to pay, the da'ma-
ges? What will* your sister, the Rule of Least Cost,
say to that?.
Ruie of Least Cost : Ho doubt, it is a matter for' serious
, thought.
Rule of Least Space : What do you suggest then ?
First Law : No rack should be higher than what can be com-
fortably reached by a person of average height, while
standing on the bare floor.
Rule of Least Space : A height of 6^ or 7 feet ?
First Law : Admirable. That is the right height. You are
very reasonable.
Rule of Least Space : Well, I have noted it. Anything else ?
First Law: The regulation width of your gangways is too
small.
Rule of Least Space: It was fixed for different conditions,
you know. We only intended a library attendant to
pass through.
First Law : Excuse me if I laugh. So long as it was
only an attendant that had to use it, it was open to
you to tell the library authorities that they should rec-
ruit only slim ‘ one-dimensional ’ beings as attendants,
if they don’t want their staff to get jammed between
the racks !
Rule of Least Space: No offence at all. These points have
to be made clear. Your admitting the readers to the
shelves is quite a novel idea. That makes all the diffe-
rence. But, dimensions are more my province. With-
out fear of being considered pedantic, I may say that
you seem to contemplate a race of readers who have ex-
panded into all my three dimensions with a vengeance
44
which should be capable of
.': admitting'the biggest of them !
First:..Law : . You, are nearly right. I should like, however, that
the gangway should be broad enough to permit two of
them to walk along abreast of each other.
Rule : of ' Least Space quite see your point, 4| to' 6
■feet will be all right? ■■■■
First Law: Thank you. One word more. Although it is not
.. quite relevant to what we were talking about, I should
like to thank you most heartily for the selfless manner
in which you took a bold stand against the Library
Authorities when they proposed to stop all further pur-
chases temporarily, because the stack-room, was choked
with books and that there was no more space.
Rule of Least Space : Well,
First Law: 1 see, from your exchange of smiles with your
sister, that there is more behind it.
Rule of Least Cost.* Really, it was so good of my sister to
have accommodated me and sided with me in that
matter.
Rule of Least Space : She just convinced me that if that pro-
posal came to be adopted she would be nowhere, since
the cost of old books — and particularly the scientific
periodicals and other publications of Learned Societies
which are indispensable for research — will increase
tenfold in a short while.
First Law: Even then, I am indebted to you. Who, in these
days, is prepared to be so very selfless and look to the
comforts of a sister in distress ?
Rule of Least Space.* Thank you. I am so glad we part as
friends although you will admit you were almost in a
rage at the beginning.
First Law: I am sorry. 1 crave your pardon. The fault is due
to my enthusiasm for my cause. I meant nothing per-
sonal. I shall make amends, by giving some cheering
news to your sister.
16 FfVH LAWS OF L I BR A R T , SC ! E N C E ■ ; ; ' V
Rule of least Space and Rule of Least Cost : What is it ! What
is it!
First Law: I don't want doors, locks and keys for the book-'
racks. You may save the cost of .all of them......
Rule of Least Cost: I am, in a sense, pleased; but what about
rats and squirrels? And again,, you say all sorts of
folk: will come into the gangway. What .will, prevent
their passing the books- through the windows ?
First Law: It is a very intelligent question. But, you need not
trouble yourself about it. I am asking the architect to
make the room itself vermin-proof and thief-proof.
Rule of Lmst Cost Is it?
First Law : No, not necessarily. ' Will you be good enough, in,
return, not to /make the reading-room mari-p.roof? .
Rule of Least Cost : I don’t quite understand you.
First Law : Just make the chairs cozy and comfortable
and the table-space ample. Also, just sanction the
necessary sum to make the floor sound-proof.
Rule of Least Cost : That is not much. That is easily done.
First Law : I should also implore you to furnish the reading-
room as nicely as possible — like a first class drawing-
room, say, like this lovely room of yours, with beauti-
ful hangings, flowers, pictures, fans, lights, etc. Remem-
ber the lights particuarly since it is my policy to allow
the serious students to stay on after sunset, if they are
so minded, to continue their study,
q/' Cay/ .* That is an idea.
First Law: One more request. I trust you don’t think I am
going too far.
Rule of Least Cost : Never mind. It is better to let us know
at once all your requirements.
First Law : Just make provision for an ample supply of reliable
drinking water, for a few W. C.’s., for a bath-room
and— I am almost afraid to say it— for the establish-
ment and maintenance of a refectory.
Rule of Least Cost : Why be afraid ? We are only exchanging
ideas. Be frank.
46
16
FIRST . LA W
First Law: Then, I shall, add, provide also' a retiri
with perhaps a, couple of lounges ■ where the scholars.
■ who come to stay the whole day, may stretch them”
selves 'and close their eyelids now and the.n for a few
minutes. 'Of course-, I , may assure you that due pre-
' caiitions will be taken to see that such a first-class pri~
. vilege is not abused by any. T saw ' furnished rooms
given to serious, students' for months together by a
library at Amherst. The famous- authoritative biogra-
phy of ' 'Woodrow Wilson was written in one of these
, rooms. The author virtually made it his home, for iiear-
' ly a year, \The. librarian . mentioned this to me with
pride and delight when I entered that room.
Rule of Least Cost : What ..novel ideas! Beautiful,. .though
costly. Biit...per-~“haps...eco — nomicai al — so...
Rule of Least . Space : Costie !..,Costie ! What are you pon-
dering over, with eyes closed ?
Rule of Least Cost: Ye -es. Dear Spacie, Meditating... Co-
gitating, if you like. I just got on the ‘ Time-Machine*
to explore what this would mean in the long run. I
have seen, Spacie, that, at that distance of time, all
this little sum that we may have to spend extra on such
things to get the books better used will lead ultimately
to real healthy National Economy. Yes, the whole
thing is clear to me now. Am I right, Mr. First Law?
First Law : Yes, you have put it correctly and in a business-
like manner.
Rule of Least Cost : To put it in a word, you don't want the
library to continue any longer as a dead storehouse of
books. You want it fitted up as a first-class workshop,
with first-rate amenities.
Rule of Least Space : Costie! You remind me of the revolu-
tionary words of Lord Lytton at the inauguration of the
Public Library at Manchester in I85L You remember
his words, A Library is not only a school, it is an
arsenal and an armoury.. Books are weapons; either
for war or for self-defence,”
47
16 FIVE LAWS OF; LIBRARY SCIENCE
Mule of Least Cost: Yes, I too .'remember that speech. But
they are the words of a,pre-League-of“Natio:K^^^^
Our friend wants ns to- conceive the library as a ' regu-
lar peaceful workshop, - which will, eliminate for ever,
a panacea for all the ills of humanity, and— what I am
more concerned with— elim.inate all wastage both in
local administration and in the State.
Rule of Least Space : I can never' keep pace with you in your
Economic flights into the Future. M,r. First Law, are
-you satisfied? That is all that we want.
Rule of Least Cost : I am. sure he is.
First Law: Workshop ! Exactly. That is the word. You. have
caught it. I am sure hereafter we shall always see eye
to eye and get on in a friendly way. 1 am glad of your
sympathy. I may tel! you at once that, in addition to
doing all this, I want the constant help of your watch-
ful eye to save every possible pie to buy the very books,
for whose use, after all, 1 am giving you all this
trouble.
Rule of Least Cost : You are a regular missionary, I see. But,
now that we have understood each other, may i take
the liberty of making one or two suggestions?
First Law: Most certainly. I want them?
Rule of Least Cost : I think, the retiring room, the refectory
and the elaborate furnishings of the reading-room —
like a first class drawing-room, as you put it— may
wait. Perhaps you don’t realise how it will react in
certain quarters. You must remember that, for some
time to come, library authorities will consist of persons
who spent their earlier days before your advent. You
can hardly expect them to develop a library habit at
this late stage of their life. In these circumstances, how
do you expect them to evaluate properly ail such inno-
vations, all so suddenly sprung on them ?
First Law : I was not altogether unaware of this difficulty.
In fact, in speaking to your sister, it is such conside-
rations that made me reluctantly refrain from asking
48
17
... -'FIR.ST LAW
; for space for a ‘Lecture Room ' , and .an ‘ ExMbitioii;
y , I . thought I might rather lea.ve it .to .'my^ sister^
■ ; the Third Xaw, since .'she is more directly interested in
.such things. .
■ Mule ■ of Least Space : I have been here for such a long . time.
. ' ■ I; can tell you what will'happen. The entire .blame will^
be put on the head of the poor Librarian. All sorts of
/ motives will be attributed to him, such as thirst for
cheap popularity; and his . life will be filled with
worry.
Rule of Least Cost : My sister is quite right.
First Law : I don’t realise that. Perhaps my missionary' zeal
— as you put it— and my over-enthusiam have blinded
me to such worldly wisdom, which are so natural to
you... the shrewd financier that you are...! want the
goodwill of the Librarian and his staff more than any-
thing else, if my mission is to succeed. In fact, he is the
person that I am going to see next, I don’t want that
he should in any way... innocent man... in any way get
into disrepute for no fault of his. On the other hand,
I not only want that he should co-operate with me but
also that he should have the goodwill and co-opera-
tion of the library authorities. Otherwise, he can’t be of
much use to me. I don’t want to weaken his position
for anything in the world... Thank you for the advice. I
thought, I came to teach ; but I go back wiser.
Rule of Least Cost : So it is with us. Cheerio !
Rule of Least Space : Wish you good luck with the Libra-
rian !
First Law : Thank you. Good-bye.
17 Library Staff
Let us now pass on from the Library Furniture to the Lib-
rary Staff. The advent of the First Law has had the most
vital effect on the Library Staff. It has affected the qaestion
of staff in several ways. We should examine each one of them
with the greatest possible care and thoroughness. Whatever be
49
17 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
the Library Location, the Library Hours, the Library Furni-
ture and the way in which books are kept, it is the Library
Staff that ultimately make or mar a library. In fact, an enor-
mous struggle has been going on for the past fifty years to ad-
just the Library Staff to the needs of this new concept.
Books Are for Use. If the mere number of papers writ-
ten on librarianship can be taken as a measure of this strug-
gle, one can get some idea of it from the admirable Bibliography
of Cannons. Not less than 58 closely printed pages of this
book are devoted to the subject of the staff; and it must be
remembered that the list has been brought up only to the end
of 1920.”
170 Qualifications for Staff
So long as the preservation of books was the chief concern
of a library, all that it wanted by way of staff was a compe-
tent care-taker who could fight against the four enemies of
books : fire, water, vermin and men.
1701 Never-do-wells
It was not unusual to make a post in the library the sine-
cure for persons unfit for other jobs. It was not unusual, for
example, for libraries to be manned by the deaf and the
maimed, by stammerers and hunch-backs, by the dull and the
short-tempered — by never-do- well’s of all sorts. The term
Keeper ” by which the librarians of ancient libraries are still
designated is indeed a significant survival of the pre-First Law
days. The parody of a passage in Plato’s Republic given by
Dr. A. D. Lindsay, Master of Ballioi College, in his Presiden-
tial Address of 1928, fits in appropriately with this conception
of a librarian.
Then on which occasions concerned with books is the librarian a more
useful partner than another?
In cases of depositing and keeping books safe.
Is not that as good as saying ‘ When there is no need to read books
hut only to keep them unread ? ’
Yes.
50
Then librarianship is useful Jn - regard to hooks when books are
useless ?
it, looks like it. —
■ Librarianship, theiToiy friend, cannot' be of any great mo,ment if it is
useful only for books when they are .useless.^^
In fact librarianship was not' till recently considered to be
of any great moment for any purpose.
1702 Great Britain
Indeed, it took a lo,ng time- to realise the need for a profes-
sional librarian. If . there was a librarian’s post, it was not
known whom to recruit for it, and if there was a librarian, it was
not known what to do with - him. For nearly half a century,
even the University College, London, which has now become
a centre for^ training librarians, msed to leave- its librftl’#" -^^to
the care of an assistant, sometimes dignified with the title of
librarian but never paid more than £80 a year or to that of a
library beadle.” in his Story of the University of Edin*-
burgh. Sir Alexander Grant records, “ Between 1635 and 1667
there was a succession of no less than ten librarians : probably
none of these persons had a peculiar vocation for the employ-
ment.” When it finally got a librarian who would not leave
it, not knowing what to do with him, it asked him to main-
tain “ the Graduation Book where for a series of years he en-
tered the laiireations. ” Even that not filling all his spare time,
he was made to act, in addition, '•‘as Secretary to the College,
an office which was henceforth combined with that of Libra-
rian ! ” So long as Books Were Only for PRESERVATroN and
until it came to be realised that Books Are for Use,” how
else could a librarian’s time and energy have been utilised ?
Edinburgh was by no means unique in thus obtaining from
the librarian some such miscellaneous work in return for the
salary paid to him. Her neighbour, Glasgow, did similarly.
We are told that, until 1858, ‘"Matriculation and enrolment
was carried through by the Librarian” in the University of
Glasgow.
1703 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY 'SCIENCE
1703 America
The position in the New World too was not very different.
It was only in comparatively recent times that at Harvard or
Yale, a librarian was appointed who 'should' give Ms entire
time to the care of the library. When the Kenyon College/ a ,
residential institution, was .established in 1826, the duties of
the librarian fell upon the Principars wife, Mrs. Chase. But a
librarian’s work was not the only work that was assigned to
her. “The care of the household affairs fell upon Mrs.
Chase. She also kept the accounts of the institution and look-
ed after the library, ” (Italics mine).
According to Koch,^^ ^ It was not long ago that the library
was generally thought of as a place for the semi-retirement of
an aged professor or an incompetent instructor. Even now, it
is a common occurrence for the librarian to be asked whether
he has not something to which a broken down scholar can
turn his hand. The necessity for training, energy, alertness
and specific fitness for library work is still not seen by many
who, even from their casual acquaintance with libraries,
should know better what kind of help is required to run a
library. ”
1704 To Teach Use of Books
William Frederick Poole, who was librarian at Newberry in
the closing years of the last century, is reported to have said
before his death, “ None of the Universities have as yet quite
come up to the high standard of having a professor of biblio-
graphy, but they are moving in that direction”. In 1894,
President Harper could only hope some of us will see the
day when in every grand division of the University there will be
professors of bibliography and methodology whose function
will be to teach men books, and how to use them. ” The same
University President was however convinced^® that “The equip-
ment of the Library will never be finished until it have upon
its staff men and women whose sole work shall be, not the
care of books, not the cataloguing of books, but the giving of
instruction concerning their use. ”
1706
FIRST LAW
1705 India
; . Turning; to our ow country,. we are yet to get a Harper as
the head of any of our educational institutions.: The eondi-
. .tioris, hardly seem to favour even the entertainment by us of
:sueh.a.'hope; "
. .Most: of our Colleges have, no doubt, begun to include in
their Annual' Sta,ff Return.” a post ^ under ' the dignified
title “Librarian.” Although, the sa.iary shown against the
entry . .may imply a deplorable . lack of appreciation of the need
for a' real librarian, who can' get the Books Used, hiS' true
status can be realised only by those who have served. ■ on . the
staff'of a college for some time.
1706 College Library
In most of the degree colleges, the so-called librarian is
usually a clerk, and nothing more, by training, temperament
and status. He is not given much initiative, nor is he capable
of any. His time is largely spent in maintaining the files and
in carrying them, now and then, to a far-off room occupied
by the dignitary— the Professor-in-charge-of-the-Library — to
whom he is responsible, and by dancing attendance on whom,
he hopes to keep his place. His assistant is usually an atten-
dant whose educational attainments are a little too good Tor
a peon’s place. His duty is to dole out books across the bar-
rier at stated hours in the week and otherwise to keep dusting
the shelves or trimming the books and the files. There is
none on the Library Staff who could link it up with the ins-
tructional force of the college, not to speak of following up
the course of studies pursued by the college ; none who could
look up material on request, not to speak of collecting the
material in advance in anticipation of future demand; none
who could instruct the ordinary students in the use of the
books of the library, not to speak of assisting the research
students in the methods of using original sources. The Pro-
fessor-in-charge may do such things — there are exceptional
profcssors-in-charge who actually do such things and all
honour to them. But the Professor-in-charge is a Professor and
53
1707 FIVE LAWS OF L I B R AR Y S Cl EN C E
not a Librarian and he is ordinarily made to understand his
duties to begin with the passing of office-copies and end with
the signing of fair-copies. On the other hand, one must be
really thankful if the Professor does not succumb to the
temptation to keep all good new arrivals in his exclusive
private custody thus gaining a temporary advantage over the
pupils whom he has to teach. If he does, as it infrequently
happens, the class of librarians to which he can be appropri-
ately assigned has been carefully defined by the Master of
Balliol in the parody of another passage of the Republic.
And he is an excellent guard of an army who is clever in stealing the
plans of the enemy and all their dispositions ?
, Certainly.
Then, whoever is a clever guarder of anything is also a clever thief of
-it?
Apparently.
Then if the librarian is clever at guarding books, he is also clever at
stealing them?
That is certainly the drift of the argument.
The plight of the Intermediate College libraries is still worse
in the matter of Library Staff. More often than not, a raw
youth, who has just scraped through the School Final Exami-
nation is installed in the librarian's gadi. The Intermediate
Colleges usually have a populous school department. This
department it is that often relieves the Principal from the
awkward predicament of finding work for this youth, to keep
him from mischief. The daily consolidation of the hourly at-
tendance of the pupils, the monthly writing-up of the nominal
rolls in the attendance registers, and the terminal posting of
€ cries in the Secondary School Leaving Certificate books are,
a rule, made his monopoly. If they do not engage him
ully, he must^ assist the Accountant in the collection of
school-fees, or, the troublesome task of maintaining the stock
of stationery and forms awaits his attention.
1707 School Library
But the worst occurs in School Libraries. The School-Lib-
raries have not recognised the need even for a librarian-clerk.
54
, , F iRST ■■ LAW ... ■■ 1708,
'It is::usiiaily,, t,he'.:Cin,ll master of;.-the drawingv.mas'ter; that.is
asked ' to^^^iook .afte the libra.ry— if there is one/ In a sehoM
that 1 knew, the stoutest and cruellest of the staff, was. marked,
out as the guardian angel of the library. He was nieknamed,,
Mohammad of Ghazni,, in hono'ur of the number of his. unsuc-
cessful attempts, at Matriculation. And, he proved' to be too;
zealous a guardian. When an inquisitive child of the , school
picked up courage to approach, him and ask for a book for
extra-reading it was late in the evening. He was dead tired
after the day's task of teaching for six' hours.
‘^^'What do you want?” thundered Mohammad of Ghazni,
almost scorchi,ng the child with- his .reddish eyes.
Peeps into many lands: Japan, Sir,” stammered the
child.
“'‘ How many marks did you get in the last Quarterly ? ”
Fo — Forty-two out of fifty. Sir.”
Go and get the remaining eight marks before you can
think of extra-reading,”
came forth the emphatic injunction in company with the
riglithand fist of the Mohammad of Ghazni, which settled on
the forehead of the quivering child with painful force. The
child ran away sobbing — never, never to return to the
library. . . . .
1708 Heart of the School
If the school believed that Books Were for The Use of
children, would it have consigned them to the care of such a
frightening monster ? On the other hand, would it not have put
them in charge of a charming Children’s Librarian, whose spe-
cialised training and sympathetic outlook, would have attracted
all the children of the school to, what is now rightly called,
the heart of the school ? ” Then, how different would have
been the reminiscences of the children of the school ! Consi-
der, for example, the pleasant recollections of a New World
contemporary of our sobbing child. f can almost say
that I owe to the library the greatest mental stimulus of my
life. ^ The picture of that Librarian’s intelligent grey-eyed face,
55
1708 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY/SCIENCE
the very odour of the library room itself are/indelibly impreS"-,
sed in my memory. Personally my debt to the library as an
institution and to librarians: as a class, is a greater one than I
can ever hope to pay even with, everlasting gratefulness.’’
171 Library Staff AND Scholarship .
Even after the First Law had ^succeeded in convincing,
people of the need for a full-timed and special staff .for the^
library, it took a long time for library authorities to appreci-
ate the qualities and qualifications essential in a Library Staff,
to carry out all the mandates of that Law. The struggle ex-
perienced by the First Law in establishing proper standards
for librarianship was even more strenuous than that experien-
ced in fixing the proper Library Hours. Its predecessor
'"Books Are for Preservation” had left behind it many a
hardened tradition. Tradition, as is well known, is obstina-
tely indifferent to reasoning of any type. She would not easi-
ly listen to the arguments of the First Law. Analogy, how-
ever suggestive, could not carry conviction to her. A grain
dealer, it is conceded, should know about grains of all sorts.
A draper should know everything about apparel. An insura-,
nee agent cannot be a success if he does not know all about
life-tables and their significance. No one would be admitted
as a teacher unless he knows the subject he has to teach. But
it took d long time to realise that a librarian — who has
to deal with learning, who has to find for each person his
appropriate book, who has to persuade people to benefit by
the knowledge treasured up in books, who has, in fact, to
help the life-long education of all and not merely that of the
beardless urchins — must possess scholarship of a wide range.
1711 England
In his humorous retrospect of the "Early Days/’
Mr. Frank Pacy, the. late Secretary of the British Library
Association, refers to certain interesting impressions produc-
ed by the scholarship of the early British librarians. " The
man who showed us the library knew nothing about
56
FIRST' LAW
1713
anytMng.'' ' The Westminster Librarian not only looked
like a ' eMmney ' sweep, but was very deaf. Fortunately,
those days are gone. Nowadays, nobody in the West questions
the place of Librarianship among the learned professions..
1712 India
. ' But,, in our country, few people realise even to-day the need
for a scholarly staff in a library. Not long ago, I 'received,,
from a high-placed educational officer, a pathetic note of re-
cominendation saying, '" The bearer, you will find, is very
aged. He appeared for the S.S.L.C. Examination more than a
dozen times. There is no prospect of his passing it " in this
Jmma.' How can he get even a clerk’s post ? But I am inte-
rested.in him. Can you take him on your staff? That is the
only chance for him.” When the Madras University Library
was started, one of the first appointments in the superior
service ” of the library went to a peon of the Museum Office,
for the simple reason that he was an honest fellow and that
there was no other way in which his emoluments could be in-
creased. Perhaps, the precedent for this was that the Janitor
of the Bodleian Library was made its sub-librarian in 1712.*^^
Similarly, when a District Board permitted a Union Chairman
to appoint a part-time librarian for his Union Library on a
monthly allowance of Rs. 10, the Chairman is said to have
promptly given that allowance to his personal attendant, since
he was a serviceable fellow and would jealously guard the lib-
rary. A few weeks ago a learned professor, born in Britain and
serving in India, laid down the dictum that the academic qua-
lification of a library clerk need not be even as high as that
of an attendant in a Chemist’s shop.
1713 An Anecdote
But more amusing is the inference that a librarian cannot
be a scholar. Once, a prominent official in an up-country town
was asked to receive me, a mere librarian, as Ms guest. His-
embarrassm’ent could only be relieved by one of his junior
clerks offering to put me up in his own house. However, quite
57
L. s* — 4
1713 FIVE LAWS OF LIB-RARY SCl.ENCB, \
ignorant of this arrangeinent, I went straight' tO' the officiars
house. The appearance of thevsuffiXv to ;m^
instantly made his feeling of embarrassment give place to one
of amazement. And I was' accepted ! ■ By the time we. reached
the stage of post-prandial / pan i-wpnriV the amazement had
transformed itself into ■ pity 'Soaked with sympathy,, the learn'-
ed official condoled' with the Master of Arts for the fate that
had overtaken him. He cursed the hard times that had driven
a man'' of' my ability and scholarship to the predicament of
having to mind a library. But this sincere pity was overpower-
ed by righteous indignation when he discovered that my salary
was higher than Ms own and that the authorities had wasted
over a 'librarian’s post not only a Master of . Arts of the
■country but "also such a huge slice of its revenue. But, my
concern is that this learned official appears to be the type
rather than the exception.
1714 Scholarship as much as Executive Ability
The learned official’s opinion comes naturally to those that
seldom use a library and have never felt the influence of a
well-conducted modern library. But every person that makes
a frequent and serious use of a library and “ has worked up
a subject ” once in his life expects to find on the library staff
at least one member who “speaks his language ” and knows
the bibliography and the method of his subject. The Presi-
dent of a Western University once remarked : “ Every person
in charge of a library must be capable of teaching. Executive
ability is no doubt necessary in a librarian, but, unless it is
coupled with wide scholarship, it is not at all sufficient.”
1715 Scholarship in Mark Pattison’s Sense
What kind of a scholar should the library recruit for its
•staff? Certainly not the scholar pictured in the comic papers
as one without commonsense, nor one of the pedant brand
who is unduly formal and subtle ; nor one of the specialist
type who learns “ more and more about less and less.” The
Library requires on its staff persons who have scholarship in
58
1721
FIRST LAW
Mark Pattison’s sense, judgment, discipline and scientific
habit. Their speciality mast be ^ '.bi^^^ and theiratti-
'tnde;mpst,be\that^'o the words of the Pnblic
Libraries Committee of Great Britain, they must have a safficL
ent knowledge of and sympathy with all branches of know™
ledge: to be able to them in the selection of books,
to give, the readers the guidance of which they stand in need
and to divine in the quickest manner the place where the infor-
mation sought by the readers can be found. They must be
capable' of using books, only for the dissemi-
: nation, of kiiowledge b^^^ the -extension of the boun-
daries of knowledge. .
1716 University Degree
It is on account of this that a University Degree is consider-
ed a normal entrance requirement by the library school of
the West and the highest University degrees are required
from those who aspire to the highest places in library service.
This also explains the recent practice, in go-ahead libraries, of
attracting to the Library Staff persons with ripe professorial
exper,ience as part-time Reference-librarians. It is from this
point of view that Arnold Bennett wrote that if libraries
spent less on books and more on- an educated Staff, far
■better results would be obtained. It is not books that, lack in
the libraries ; it is the key to their effective employment. That
key is the: individualities; and .attainments of Librarians and
their .staffs,.”,
172 Library , Staff - and Professional Training ■
But mere scholarship cannot make a librarian. Many peo-
ple think that because they can read books, they are quali-
fied to be librarians. Such ignorance is well illustrated by the
anecdote of MacAlister narrated by Augustine
1721 Ignorance
“Only the day before yesterday, on the Calais boat, I was
introduced to a world-famed military officer who, when he
59
1721 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
understood 1 had some connection with Library Association,
exclaimed : ‘ Why, you’re just the mail I want-! Miave been
anxious of late about my man, old Atkins, You. see the., old.
boy, with a stoop, sheltering ' behind the funneL; Poor -old
beggar ! quite past his work, but as ..faithful as a dog. ft , has
just occurred to me that if you could shove him into some
snug library in the country, I’d be awfully grateful to you.
His one fault is a fondness for reading, and so a library would :
be just the thing.’”
^ The usual titled' lady also turned up at the Conference. , ,
This time she was recommending her late cook for the post of
librarian, alleging' on her behalf the same strange trait of cha-
racter— her fondness for reading.”
1722 Analogy in Ignorance
The pathos attendant on such ignorance is only conipa-
rable to what was felt when an innocent lad applied for a
“Mathematics Reader’s” post in one of our Universities,
basing his claim on the ample qualification that he had just
taken his B.A. (Pass) degree in mathematics and that he was
“ fond of reading
1723 Wrong Notions
But the superior arrogance of those, who can more than
read books, who feel competent to criticise literary style or
have gained some acquaintance with a special department of
knowledge, is more annoying. They imagine that anything in
a library, beyond their scholarship, is manual, clerical and
rather beneath their efforts, not knowing that they are yet
only good material out of which librarians might be made.
Not infrequently one comes across a bumptious upstart, who
has the cheek to say, “ What is there in indexing ? ” meaning
by ' indexing, ’ Cataloguing. One only wishes that he was
allowed to try his hand at ‘ indexing ' for a couple of months
to discover for himself what a mess he is capable of making.
Another, a venerable old man may say “ What is the training
that is necessary to hand over books across the barrier? In my
60
1724
FIRST LAW
days, so and so did it so admirably; and he had no ghost of a
professional training. ” He' has only to be asked How many
volumes did. the library of his days have on its shelves? How
many of them refused to ■ leave the shelves even once in his
long life-time ? How many volumes were added to his library
in a year? And how many of his learned contemporaries ever
knew of a library or its purpose?” Another, a specialist, quite
jealous of the right of his line of experts, may make a flip-
pant remark, “ That is not the way to classify. This is the
way to catalogue. Reference-work is not in your province. It
is the preserve of the Professors ” and so on. One has to tell
him, ‘‘ Mr. Specialist, I am a specialist in my line as much as
you are, Sir, in yours. If jwr field is clouded in mystery and
needs prolonged formal initiation, so is mine. Remember
what you will think of any uninitiated Tom, Dick or Harry
who attempts to poke his nose into your sphere.”
1724 Handicap of New Profession
The fact is that so long as the task of a library was to
Preserve Books, there was no need for giving any special
training to the care-taker-librarian. The moment ‘ Books Are
FOR Use ’ stepped into the place of ‘ Books Are for Preserva-
tion Librarianship was invested with several tasks, which
required a well-thought-out professional training, with as
much grind and as much technique as that required for any
other learned profession, such as Medicine, Engineering or
Law. A Doctor, an Engineer and a Lawyer will flare up
into righteous wrath, if anybody ventures to question the
need for their professional training. But the same Doctor,
Engineer, and Lawyer would naively question the need for
professional training for a librarian. That is due simply to
the fact that Medicine, Engineering and Law are old profes-
sions which have cleanly forgotten the struggle they had in
establishing their need for specialised training while Librarian-
ship is a profession. It is natural for people in a privi-
leged position to fight every inch before admitting a stranger
to the same privilege. This fight will not end unless and until
61
1724: - O.F' LIBRARY SGIE'NCE , , .
the present-day Doctor, ; Engineer' and Lawyer are replaced by
those that have had, "from their' youth onwards, ' the pleasiw^
and benefit of being served by a technically trained professir ii
of librarians, ' , ;
1725 Great Britain. ^
This may look like , a vicious circle. But with the rousirg
chorus of the new song ‘Books' Are. for Use’ people have
already broken, this vicious circle elsewhere, and we 'may take
advantage of it.' Great Britain had' long agO' decided :
“(/') to educate public opinion to- deuiarid that trained
librarians should be the rule and not the exception ■; '
(li') to enforce on library authorities their responsibility
for giving due weight to training in the,ir selectio,ii ' of candi-
dates, and for giving facilities to their staff to continue theii-
training, both technical and educational, while in their
services.
1726 Other Lands
America has gone ahead and established fourteen accredit-
ed institutions for the teaching of Library Science. The Minis-
tries of-' -Education of most of' the countries of Conti'nental
Europe have taken upon themselves the task of providing the
country with librarians of proper professional attainments.
Japan had long* ago established its own library school while
China has the Boone’s School for Librarians. What is more
important, in some of the Western countries, the Library Pro-
fession has long ago passed the stage of infancy and reached
the ripe age of throwing out several branches, which show a
tendency to develop such independence and individuality, that,
ere long, we shall have several semi-independent library pro-
fessions, spreading round their primitive stem, even as the
pillar roots shooting forth profusely from the branches of
the giant banyan-tree appear to be outside the tree but are
still of it, giving shelter to thousands of birds.
62
FIRST; LAW " ; V; ■ ,173
1727 Beginning in India
We live in hope. A small beginning is being made even in
our land. A seedling of the species, Summer School of Lib-
rary Science, was carefully tended for two years in the nursery
of the Madras Library Association. When it was fit for trans-
plantation, it has found its way into the fertile garden of the
Madras University. It can, not- only tend it with greater ease,
but can also find a market for its fruits. May that seedling
grow from more to more ! And may its harvest of fruits enrich
';the land from, the Himalayas to Cape Comorin ! !
173 Library Staff and Status
The next effort of the First Law, on behalf of the Library
. Staff, had to be directed towards the removal of another in-
cubus bequeathed by the^ concept ‘ Books Are for Preserva-
tion’. Even after a learned technically trained staff came
to be recruited, the library authorities blinded by tradition
would not perceive the need for revising the scale of salary
that was originally designed but to attract and retain the care-
taker-librarian and the clerk-librarian. It may even be that
that scale had become inferior to that of a head-peon, or a
waw/ry or a wireman. Though such an anomaly would not
prick the conscience of the authorities, it was a matter of
serious concern for the First Law. Such a scale would by
no means attract the right type of men. Even if it did, the
person, that it was able to pull out from the army of the un-
employed, would be merely marking time, with his mind and
heart elsewhere. Even the little experience he might gather
would soon be lost to the library as he would take the earliest
opportunity to step out. For a generation or two, in the early
days of the First Law, when the library authorities consisted
mostly of persons who had never come under the influence of
a library whose guiding motto was ' Books Am for Use',
when the work of the Library Staff could be neither appre-
ciatednor evaluated properly, it was indeed an uphill task for
the First Law to convince the authorities of the need for
fixing an equitable scale of salaxy.^
63
1731 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SGIENCE
1731 Dangers of Under-paid Staff
The First Law knew that a discontented staff was a social
danger. Even apart from such a general slogan, it realised
that an under-paid staff could not work up the enthusiasm
necessary for the successful carrying out of its mission.
Even if they did, the enthusiasm, the zeal and the solicitude
of a poorly paid staff would not produce the desired
result. The words of the poor, however beneficial, are
seldom heard. WIfq ^ 1 They
would be put down' as interested officiousness, although ■ the
•contempt induced by - their low salary in the reader’s mind
would recoil on the reader himself. One may say, let the
reader hang himself. But to that extent, the use of the books
of the library would suffer and that is a matter for serious
thought, for those who believe in the First Law.
1732 Status and Money
Rightly or wrongly, human society has evolved its Econo-
mics on a Money-basis. An unsophisticated scrutiny of the
foundations of the Theory of Value may disclose to the em-
barrassment of many that the feet of Mammon are made of
clay. But, what is the good ? Are the majority of men guided
by the ultimate value of things ? “ An emphatic no”, is the
answer supplied by that astute Professor of Worldly Wisdom,
Bhartriharl “ On the other hand,” says he, “ He who has
wealth is believed to have the bluest blood running in his
veins. He is taken for a scholar. He passes for the most well-
informed. He is considered the most discriminate. His power
of speech is praised as unequalled. And his figure is described
as the most handsome, it is the gold in his possession that
settles the quality of every one of his attributes
M « SI?: fcOsf: « qfecf:
?I goTf : I
^ 3orr: q^r^sinm^i^cr ii
64
1733
FIRST LAW
With reason may' ye wele'se,
,:Tliat Peny wyll mayster' be, ■
Prove nowe man of mode;
, ijt . « ^
He makyth the fals to besoende
■ : And ryght puttys to the grounde.'^®
1733 Pay the Stairwell
Thus, money rules the world. It determines the status of
men as well as the value of the .services rendered by them.
Unfortunately, people are prepared' to benefit by a service
only in ;p,roport!oii to the value set on it by money. Thus, a
fainished staff will render the efforts of the First Law as futile
as paiicity of "books or paucity of readers.' In the trinity of
the library —books, staff and readers — the richness of the staff
in worldly , goods appears to be as necessary as the richness of
the other two in number and variety, if the law ‘ Books Are
FOR Use is to be translated into practice. It will have to be so,
so long as men’s status is left to the capricious and arbitrary
rule of Mammon. “Therefore, pay the library staff well,”
says the First Law.
1734 Deferred Benefit
An important handicap that is attendant on library service,
in getting what it deserves, is that the benefits of its service
are deferred. A doctor gets his fifteen rupees for crossing the
threshold once, since people believe that the life or death of
the patient at the next moment is dependent on his service. A
lawyer gets his hundred rupees for standing on his legs for
one hour since people believe that the ownership of property
at the next minute is dependent on his service. But the benefit
of the service of the library staff, like the benefit of the ser»
vice of the teacher, is not discernible.at the next moment —
not even in the next year or decade. Its benefit, although
more universal and lasting, will come to the surface only a
generation or two later, when the people, that had to open
their purse and pay for it, are dead and forgotten. This is a
distressing attribute, with which God seems to have invested
it, perhaps when in a mood of wilful mischief.
65
1735 FIVE LAWS OF L IB.R A'RV/S G I EN CE
1735 Progress in-, the West .
In spite of it, the First Law has already nearly suececded in
the Western countries in overcoming the effects' of such a
mischief. Western Society is now' prepared to agree that , a
University Librarian must have the ' status and ' salary 'of a
Dean of the 'University, that a College-Librarian must get a
treatment similar to that' of a professor, that a School-Libra-
rian is in no way inferior to a Teacher and the .'Librarian of a
city is entitled to the same pay, the 'same rights and the same
privileges as those of the other officers of the city such as the
Engineer, , the Health Officer, the Revenue Officer and the
Educational Officer. '
' 1736 Appeal to, India'
When will India fall into line with her Western sisters?'
Will she benefit by the experiences of her sisters or will she
close her eyes to them and proceed herself to tread every inch
of that old, weary path? If she does, her children can never,
never, overtake their cousins, in their onward march. Let us
hopeandpray that she won’t take that fatal course but straight-
away plunge into the foremost crest of* the wave of progress,
triumphantly put her librarians on a par with those of other
countries, and thus add to the chance of the First Law of
Library Science bringing the long-neglected children of India,
to the same position of vantage as that Law has been able to
secure for the other nations of the world. Amen !.
1737 In Medieval India
Some interesting light is thrown, on the place the Libraries
occupied in the educational institutions of medieval India,
by " Inscriptions of Nagai ’ published as No. 8 of the Hydera-
bad Archeological Series.^^
Nagai is a village near Wadi and it is said to be the site of
an old city, which has now disappeared leaving behind it
several monuments and inscriptions of great historical value.
A Kannada inscription in the sixty-pillared temple called
' Aruvathu Kambada Gudi ’ of that village, said to be of the
66
FIRS:T XAW'
1737
date 'correspond:iii,g to the 24th' -December 1058, a.d., gives
an- aceoiint of the public institutions founded- by Madusudana,
. a famous, general and minister of the Chalukya King,'. Raya- -
Naraya.ina. One of theinstitutionsfounded bybim was.:a resi-
dential college called Chatikasala for two hundred scholars
studying the Vedas, and fifty-two studying the Sastras. ; The
institute was manned by three Vedic teachers, three -Sastra
teachers . . . and six librarians (Sarasvatibhandarikas)
: If the appointment of as many as six librarians- is significant
at all, perhaps one may reasonably infer that the Library
attached to the college should have been of considerable size
and usefulness. One is further tempted to compare' this medi-
eval college library with our present-day college libraries,
which are so notoriously indifferent and grudging both in im-
proving, their book-resources and in providing them with the
necessary human aids for helping the proper exploitation of
their resources by their teachers and students.
A latter verse in the same inscription shows that Madusu-
dana was far ahead of us in fixing the status of college
librarians. For, his allotment of land to the teachers and
librarians in lieu of their salary was as follows:—
48 Units (Matter) of land to the Professor 'of Prabhakara
darsana. ' .
35 Units to the Professor of Bhatta darsana,
30 Units to the Professor of Nyaya.
20 Units to the Professor of Vedangas.
30 Units to each of the six librarians and so on.
This shows thatMadusudana has treated the professors and
librarians almost equally and it may further be inferred that
their academic qualifications also should have been of the
same order.
The present-day educational institutions of the West, which
make a correct evaluation of the place of libraries, give pro-
fessorial status to their librarians' and, in return, insist upon
high academic qualifications in them. It is earnestly hoped
that the standard set by our illustrious countryman Madusu-
dana, which is in such close agreement with the present-day
67
174 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
practice in other countries^ will soon be reached by our Uni-
versities, Colleges, and Schools.
174 Library Staff and Their Responsibojty
Thus, the primary task of the First Law was to educate the
library authorities, with regard to Library Staff. We have seen
that it performed this task step by step in four stages. Fdrst
it cofivinced them of the need for a special staff, then for a
learned staff, next for a. trained staff, and finally for a well-
paid staff. Its second task, in this matter, has been to tune the
staff itself to the proper pitch, ft would, indeed, be a tragedy
if the Library Staff themselves forget, Sugriva-Iike, the very
noble cause which . secured them their scholarship, training
emoluments and status.
Qujdso 0i:3uQu jf)^ sl. ^S)9ijQu(fr)ih
^IJD^^T ^ fT GT) LD liJ! m ^iflbr^G^Tdr ;
^ JD /h IIJ JJ) 6'5T ; ^ 07 Lj ^ L- ri c55 LD
LDJD^ir 0)657'; QJ fl' lj}o)lil d) LDlLjdlQ^p^dr*
The plums of office are like the apple of Eden. And those,
that are in their enjoyment, stand in need of a periodic
searching of heart, in the light of the indignant words of the
sons of Kausaiya and Sumitra. Every moment the Library
Staff should remember that Books Are for Use At no
time should they lapse into the mood of their ancestor at the
Bodleian, of whom it is said He was a very good librarian
in some ways; but he hated. anyone getting at his books/'
They should never forget that in libraries books are collected
for USE, prepared for -use, kept for use and served for use.
The endless technical processes and routine — getting suggest-
lions from experts, acquiring by purchase or gift, acces-
sioning, classifying, cataloguing, sheif-registcring, shelving,
charging, and discharging^ — all these are carried on only for
USE, To fulfil this paramount mission of the First Law to
the fullest extent the Library Staff should not only remind
themselves of that mission constantly, not only acquire
the scholarship and professional training necessary but also
develop certain attitudes and interests which arc equally
indispensable. 68
1751
''''FIKStVLA ,
175 Library-. Staff and Readers
First comes the attitiide;.. towards Readers. It may seem
rather unnecessary to have; to' say that .Readers form an essen-
tial part of a live ' library’s business. 'But, unfortunately,
there are some who cannot;' get out of the habit of looking
upon Readers as a nuisance,; Others there are, vvho would
just allow some Readers to step in,,' provided they remember
that they are there by- 'sufferance and have no right to demand
anything, least of all, any .comfort conducive to study. There
are stii.l others who won’t mind- paying some attention to the
needS' of the Readers', provided it won’t interfere ; with the
meticulous discharge , of ' their administrative roiifine. Their
motto Js " Administration ■; first, ' everything els ' ienciuding
" Readers ’ next. About a century and a half ago, ■ when the
First Law was -not wide-ly known, a. Library with such an
outlook would have perhaps been tolerated. In. fact' it was
unfortunately so. ' .
175! Anachronism
For about half a century from 1763, the Bodleian - Library
of Oxford 'was in the hands of the. Rev. John. Price of Jesus
College. Quite early -.in his library-career, , captain Cook’s
Voyages was published in.. 1771 and the.re was quite a demand
for the w'ork. But our -Librarian Price ' promptly loaned his
library copy to a .friend of his and asked him, : to keep it as
long as' possible, ■ lest he should; be , " perpetually plagiied by
enquiries after it’. - Librarian Price would -fain-' have had -a"-llb-
rary without readers. In fact, it is said of him that ' he dis-
couraged readers by neglect and incivility.’ In spite of this,
he was allowed to role the Bodleian, without any let or hind-
rance, for full half a century and to instal in his gad/ his own
son-in-law, who was a chip of the old block and managed to
keep it with equal thoroughness for another half a century.
But Librarian Price is an anachronism to-day. A modern lib-
rary cannot exist without Readers, ‘ The neglect and incivil-
ity ’ have crossed the floor, so to speak. For it is no longer
the Reader that has to put up meekly with the ' incivility ’ of
69
the Library Staff, but, unfortunately, it is- the Librai^y
that has silently to put up ■ with the • incivility that emaiiates,
occasionally, Ixom inconsiderate, bumptious Readers.
'1752 Welcome and Attention
The library has now to develop the. methods of a iiiodera
shop. It is true' that, i'H a great many' .libraries, it .may not, be
possible to have enough, assistants just waiting aroin^d ■ for.
someone to come in. They will have queries to look up, letters
to answer, catalogue-cards to write and. a thousand a id one
other things to do. But, even so, it must be a riile that the
moment a, Reader enters the library, whatever is in hand must,
be stopped instantly and the impression, given to the Reader
should be one of welco,!Tie and' attention. '
'1 - 1753 Cheerfulness and. Courtesy'
We know it is very annoying if, just as one is in the middle
of adding up a column of figures, someone pops im and it is
more annoying if one finds that he simply w'ants to browse
round and does not want anything in particular.' But these
are the little things that are sent to try us; we must keep a
cheerful outlook and on no account show any discourtesy. Il
is an excellent thing to remember that the ‘ Customer loveth
a cheerful assistant’
1754 Wrong .Behaviour ,
The conduct of the library assistants should on no account
give room for gossip of the following type : We went into
that palatial, nice looking library not long ago. There was one
human figure with the irritating odour of Eucalyptus oil about
him, in charge of the library at the moment, doubled up over
the counter table, apparently addressing envelopes. No notice
was taken of us at all when we entered and it was quite a few
minutes before that figure let us know that il was alive. When
it did, its expression so obviously said, ** I wish people would
not cdme in when I am obliged to get this job done ; ” but il
actually said “ What can I do for you?” without gelling up
70
from the seat. By the time' we had stated our wants and it
was able to say Sorry,, that book fs onioan,’": we were not
at all sure that it was sorry or even that it knew the book we
wanted. and we wondered whether the book was not- on the
shelf ' all the time.”
1755 Right Behaviour
On the other, hand, when Readers go home, it iniist be pos™
siMe for them to say '"‘ The young lad. who received ns at that
library' had such a bewitching smile that it brightened up. the
whole room, .and we felt quite certain that we had come into
the right'place. Everythio.g is made so comfortable in' that'
library. 'Any day, I shall prefer to spe.iid my' ofF-time there”.
Every reader should feel the presence of the radiant persona-
lity of the librarian. ' Krishna-like, the librarian shonM now
and again be by the side of' every reader. He should not
'settle down in his seat; nor s.hould he escape into the re-
tiring room. He should move among rpaders; he should be
■ever accessible to them.
176 Library Staff and Psychology
Next to being welcomed, the readers must be sized up ’
■and humoured. To be successful in this task, the librarian
must be a psychologist. To go a step further, every person
oil' the Library Staff must also be a psychologist, if the "best
results are 'to be obtained. .Does this mean that every person
on the Library Staff should take a forma! course in the study
of ...the "theory of psychology ?■ Far from it, though it may
not do much harm. Even a child learns, by observation, the
particular kind of tactics that is .necessary to have its own
way with parents and teachers. So also every person on the
Library Staff, who gets innumerable opportunities to observe
people, should acquire, by practice, a working knowledge of
psychology and the ability to understand human nature. It is
the librarian’s job to handle every type of reader, not merely
just those that are pliant. The really successful librarian
must be able to handle difficult readers. ' Otherwise, his books
71
will be 1:2ft unused to that -extent.; How ofteii', the librarian
attributes hts failure to the reader' being iin reasonable !
Knowledge of books is only half the battle. It is almost as
fatal not to know the difference between Tom and Dick as
not to know that between Newton;aiid Einstein. To handle
the diiUciiIt reader successfully, one has to iindersland fiiiri.
Does he growl ? If so, does he mean it or is it merely a pose ?
Is he really ilbiiatured or is only h'is manner iinpleasanr?.
One will be turning away many a potential reader from the
counter, if one shirks the problem, of the visitor who is im-
reasonable, unpleasant, fussy or super-critical Siiccesfi can be
secured by oiir accuracy in quickly : sizing ;up the easy ones
and by the patience and intelligence we show' in studying and
working with difficuit ones.
1761 Example
A few years ago a turbanned Indian happened to be O'li
Ifloor duty" in the Reference Department of an Edigiish
Library. Atop-hatted Englishman caroe,in with the usual fami-
liarity but was dismayed to find the outlandish figure in the
staff-enclosure.
■ The: .Indian. librarian. offe.red his help carefully suppressing
the fee,liiig induced by this look of dismay.-.
'‘‘No, thanks’’ came out the polite reply, and the English-
man went from shelf to shelf.
After a few minutes, the Indian approached him with
another, Can I help you?*’
Thank you. Where are the books on 'Temperance’?”
was the only reluctant response.
Then book after book of the ' temperance * region was
opened and closed in quick succession. The watch was pulled
out every ininuule from the pocket. He was evidently in a
hurry. He had not got Ws reference and it was already 4-45.
Poor man ! If you can tell mewhat exactly you want about
leinperance, perhaps I may be able to help you,” thus came
another offer from the Indian on 'floor-duty.
This time, with his head turned the other way, the
72
top-hatted gentleiBan' said, I have to preside at a temperance
meeting. I'" want, something for my introductory speech.
Can you help me ? My train is at quarter past five.’’
Instantly, a voliim:e',.of the; encyclopiedia which was in
another part of the room, gave-him the something he wanted,
and ' lie' we.nt ' away with a .. profusion of thanks scintillating
from 'his smiling lips. .
1762 Overcome Shyness of Readers
What' 'K behaviour 'due to?’’ was the problem
raised by the new reference, librarian, when, the library was
closing for the day. ‘‘Shyness, my friend, shyness”, was the
solution, given by an experienced colleague, who added, If
you want to be a reference-librarian, you m'list learn to over-
come not only also the shyness of others! ”
1763 Work With -the Reader ^
A common situation is that a visitor comes in; you have,
.never.seen him before;- he, states'" his wants; you. show him
the books you think will, suit him. All the time you Tniist
study him to see if your- first-impression is cor,reet or if yO'ii
must revise it. Above' all,, you sho"uld not i.mpose-yoii:r ideas,
your likes and d'is.likes on him. If you offer him, the new
large-paper edition of Vanbroiigh and. he says,, ‘f do.nh' like
'Varibrough. He is awful’,, it - is better not to press the point
uiid'uly but to endeavo.ur to .pass on. to the next shelf. .Do'n’t
a,rgu.e . about it.. Alas! we- .are all hunramand in trying .to-.,
prove that we are right, we lose sight of our main object
which is to help the visitor in finding out what he can use
with pleasure and profit, W'ork with the reader. Don"! work
on 'him. You can lead him. But you cannot drag Mm.
Work with him on Ms own ground. If he is vain, play that
quality. If he talks about himself, listen with respect but
don't let Mm go too far from the point, viz.,, the choice of
books. If he is unreasonable and fussy, show him as early
as possible that you can be assertive and that you know your
rights and powers. But don’t yield to the temptation of
73.
1763 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
settling down in pleasant conversation, for its own. sake, how-
ever agreeable it may be.
1764 Two Groups of Readers, . ,
Visitors fall into two groups: those who want immediate
attention so that they may be on their way as soon as possi-'
ble and those that want' to make unhurried selectioii, without
too much' assistance. Errors i.n diagnosis at this point create
an immediate and lasting unfavourable impression.' The mis-
take lies in using a stereotyped greeting .to all visitors. An,
answer should be sought to the question— ‘‘ Into which group
the visitor falls '"—and he should- be" treated in accordance
with th,€' analysis. ^ ^ '
1765 Special ..Branch of Psychology
■ regular,' Po,Ionius come to -advice!”, one might "jeer.
But a slight, reflection will show how much ' disservice 'woulcl
be done' to the Fi,rst Law of Library Science by overldokiiig
.some of these apparently commonplace precepts. Any libra-
rian who has had to do with a large stall' will recollect how
often, in his, career, he has had the necessity to .preach t,he,m.
to his colleagues. If there is a doubt that the testimony of
such.a librarian may be an interested testimony, here are the
weighty words- which have been deliberately embodied in a
Report ^ Presented by the President of the Board of Educa-
tion to Parliament by Command of His Majesty' in May
1927, ‘‘Willingness to give help, patience in the face of stu-
pidity, control of temper under provocation must be inculcat-
ed in every assistant and attendant in a library; while the
higher rank need to cultivate a .study of human nature
which may almost claim, the dignity of a special branch
of psychology. The human factor is of such supreme
importance in library administration that schools of librarian-
ship and courses of instruction may well be asked to
devote a portion of their attention to giving advice on this
74
177 Library Staff and Personal Service
The pleasure of understanding human nature and handling
difficult cases should not, however, be regarded as the begin-
ning and end of librarianship. They are • only means to an.
end. What is a library-? A .library is a collection of books
kept for use. Librarianship,'then,.'is connecting a user and a
book. Hence the very life of a- library is in the personal ser-
vice given to the people. At. any Tate, that is what obtains in
the libraries that whole-heartedly- believe that Books Are
FOR Use.’- This First .Law of L.ibrary Science is a hard task-
master.- Once you admit . its. dictum, you cannot escape the
.logical conclusion to which ; it will drag you. It wifi say, for
example, ‘tif the library -Kee.ps Books for Use, the task of
the librarian is not to dump down a mass of books and tell
readers to help themselves. Nor is it to forcibly feed them on
books of your choice. It is to help them: and, to help any one
is to co-operate with him in carrying out his own plans and
wishes — to help him to help himself.” That Is the kind of
persona! service that the First Law expects of the Library
Staff, if they mean to help it in its mission. It is a noteworthy
fact that individual .reque.sts for such personal service are in-
creasing.' Books selected to fit individual needs and accom-
panied by tactful guidance should be the response to such
requests,
' 1771 Varied Individual Needs
Some may wish to broaden ' their outlook on life; some
may wish to s.upple.iiient their formal education at school :
some may wish to extend it by entry into new fields of kn.ow-
ledge; some may wish/'to gather, data of a particular type :
others may wish to read for the.pure joy of reading. To such ^
varied individual needs,- the -Library Staff must attend with
equal efficiency. To render such personal service^ the know-
ledge and experience of the Library Staff should be such that
they will be able to recommend, with due discrimination, suit-
able books on the same subject to men and women who
differ widely in ability, education and purpose. For example,
75
everybody wants to read about Relativity and we have si:ores
of books on Relativity. Will any.and all of these books suit
the reciuiremcnts of any reader whatever ? Can Lodge's Re-
lativity, Diirell's Readable relativity^ Haldane’s Reign of rela-
tivity, Einstein’s Meaning of relativiiy, RusselTs A. IR C, of
relativity, Whitehead’s Principles '.of relatlvUyf Eddingiorfs
Mathematical theory of relativity and Birkhoft’'’s mitirre
mul influence of appeal similarly- to all? One miiy he
loo trashy for a particular person,- but. that may be only
book that brings Relativity to the' level of the compreliension
of some. Another book may -be too speculative but that may
be the only aspect of Relativity that ;may appeal to some. A
third maybe too mystical but there are souls that revel in'
mysticism. The treatment in yet a.iiother book may tlirow a,
chaliengc to liie ripest senior wrangler b'lit that may be the
very hard nut that the senior wrangler has been longing to
catch to exercise his powers of cracking. It is. this wilderness
of print, confusing in its magnitude- even to those who deal
with it constantly, on the one hand, and the equally bewilder-
ing variety of the tastes and capacities of the readers o,ri
the othe,r,.hand, that make the personal serviee of t,he .Library
Staff indispensable to effect contact between the right reader
and the right book at the right time and in the right manner.
1772 Community Intelligence Service
As Wifliam S. Learned puts it “The library of ihc fiiiure
will be a community intelligence service. It w'oiild require a
more highly specialised personnel which must command all
the College teachers’ familiarity with the literature of a strictly
limited field, plus the power which the college teacher may
and often does lack completely, namely, the power speedily
to read his applicant’s mental equipment and point of view
and to sense intuitively the character of his personal
To fulfil the demands of the First Law in this matter of per-
smui! service, the Library Staff should even be prepared to
run to specialists and experts whenever necessary, for advice
regarding the books that can be 'recommended to readers who
76
.FIRST' LAW
1773
may be 'to or enjoymeiit of abstruse
bratiches'^
1773 What Makes a Library Big
■ In a'dditioii, they iii,'ust have personality, tact, enthusiasm
and sympathy. In fact, the relationship between the librarian
and the reader should be. the, easiest and the most agreeable,
not of a superior telling an inferior what books he o'nght to
read, not,, of a teacher instructing a child, but of two equals
exchanging points of view and, information on: books. In a
word, the librarian should be ‘friend, philosopher and guide’
to eve,ry o,!ie who comes to use the library. It .is such' sympa"
thetic persona! service and “ such hospitality that makes a
library, big, iiot its size’' as the Poet Rabindra Nath Tagore
puts ., ■ ■
178 Library Staff and Social Service
The logical outcome of the concept ‘ Books Are for Use,'
is such a high order of ungrudging persona! service. It can be
easily seen, that it is only persons, with an irrepressible inward
urge for social service^ that can prove to be librarians, reach-
ing the high standard set by the First Law, It can be seen
that neither scholarship, nor professional training, nor high
salary can by themselves make a librarian, however necessary
they may be. Scholarship may lead to phlegmatic exclusive-
ness, professional training may result in arrogant self-com-
placency, and high salary may engender stand-offishness.
They can all be bent to serve the purpose of the First Law if
and only if there is that ‘ mental set’ — inborn or cultivated —
that mental set which moved our Saint Tayumanavar to burst
forth in rapturous strains pleading with Him who is the
Greatest of the Great :
^mufr UGssf} Q^s^iuiu erSssr ^errfr&Q cBilQ
eriu^ih uir iruo'Q lo.
‘*If you but give me the fitness to serve my fellow-beings,
the state of delight will come to me of its own accord/’^^
178 FIVE LAWS OF XIBRARY 'SCIENCE ' ;
178! Pioneer Obrarian ; ^
Such a delight m social service is ■ necessary . for any lib--
rarian. It is absoliitely indispensable in one who 'has to turn
the first sod of the library movement in any society or coiin-
try. The following - pithy words of Edward Edwards, one of
the pioneers of the Library Movement of the 19th Cenlury
England, eonmerating, the difficulties and ■ the rewards of a
pioneer librarian, will be a source of consolation and encour-
agement to many' a Library Staff of to-day in this part of the
world :
He must find comfort amidst the discouragements of ill-
appreciated work.,. The labour that has to be performed iirider
the direction of men who can neither understand its difficul-
ties,. nor estimate its results, is but likely to be at length ren-
dered grudgingly. It becomes increasingly hard to keep in
mind, that applause is no right aim of work ; that thC' pursuit
which IS' much affected by imm.ediate rewards., or the 'want of
them., must be either unworthy itself or be unworthily carried
■ on.-. But there is' a'mple- ground for steady and. cheerful
perseverance. Every step, that is' taken to extend the 'useful-
ness of a library;— to diffuse far and wide the best '|hought
of the best th,inkers carries one. mine the more beneath the
social abuses, which have so often placed a prevailing influ-
ence over public institutions within the grasp of cunning
money-grubs or of noisy stump-orators,”*'^®
18 Flirt Not with Fruits
But there is no need to invoke the aid of that fiction of a
mine or to hope for a reward, however, remote. The First
Law would say, “Plant your cheerfulness and perseverance
in my words, Books Are for Use. Your duty is to serve with
books. Service is your sphere. Not rewards. Falter not. Flirt
not with fruits. Go forward uninfluenced by any reward, real
or fictitious, remote or immediate.” To the librarian the
celebrated words of the Lord Sri Krishna have a special
appeal :
78
Thy right is to action alone and never to fruits.
Let not the fruit of. action be the motive.
Nor let thyself he attached to . inaction.
CHAPTER 2
SECOND LAW AND ITS STRUGGLE
, 211 IntrodiictloE ■
-In the: fast Chapter, we traced the slow emergence of ; the
First Law , and ' examined, in a brief manner, its effect on the
method of keeping books, library location, library lioiirs,
library furniture and library staff. The changes brought
about by the First Law in all these matters were of a funda-
mental character. If the final effect of the First Law^ shouM
be described in one word, that word is revolution. Once, the
outlook was revolutionised, other things followed in course
of time.
201 ENONCtATION
The Second Law of Library Science comes on the heels of
the First Law to carry this revolution a step further. If the
First Law replaced the concept "Books Are for Prhserya-
TfON,’ the Second Law widens the concept "Books for the
Chosen Few\ If the revolutionary cry of the First Law was
‘Books Are for Use\ the revolutionary cry of the Second
Law is "Books Are for All.’ If the approach of the First
Law was from the side of books, the approach of the Second
Law is from the side of users of books. If the First Law-
vitalised the library, the Second Law magnifies the library
into a nation-wide problem. If the First Law threw open the
existing libraries, the Second Law plants new libraries and
brings about the culture of new species of .libraries. If there
was reluctance to act up to the First Law, there is, in the ini-
tial stages, positive opposition to the Second Law. Thus,
the revolution brought* about by the Second Law is of a
more advanced nature and brings humanity nearer the
goal
S.E.COND LAW' AND ITS S-TROGGLE
211
202 Potency
Every Person 'His or Her Book: ! What a volume of ideas
rests in a potential state in these six words of but seven sylla-
bles! How exacting will be the task of carrying but, 'these
ideas! What, a variety of vested interests is arrayed in
opposition against any attempt to put these ideas into force !
These points require careful examination in a study of the
Second Law.
203 Educational Value
It may be convenient to start from the very beginiiiiig.
What are libraries ? Libraries . are collections of books built
for a special purpose. What is' that purpose ? '^ Use ’ is the
answer supplied by the "First Law. What, is the use of books?
Books give information; they educate. They may. also give
solace ;. they may furnish a harmless means of recreation. Let
us first concentrate on; their educational, value. If books are
tools of education, the law ‘Every Person His or Her Book’
presupposes: the concept '‘Education for Every' Person.’
This lays bare the fundamental issue. The history of the
answer to the question, “ Is every person entitled to educa-
tion ? ” will show how the Second Law too has been in actual
practice seldom borne in mind by library authorities.
21 The Classes and the Masses
211 Ancient Days
It is customary to begin all academic history ffom Aristotle.
What is Aristotle’s answer to this fundamental question? “It
is the intention of nature to make bodies of slaves and free-
men different from each other... And since this is true with
respect to the body, it is still more just to determine
in the same manner, when we consider the soul.”®® These
plausible premises led Aristole to the characteristic conclusion
that “a slave can have no deliberative faculty.”®® The result
of this rigorous reasoning was that “ while Athens and Sparta
offered education to freemen, nine-tenths of the population
were excluded from the privilege of learning.” In translating
‘ 81
2!1 FIVE LAWS OF'xIBRARY, SCIENCE ^
this in terms of books, '.we find that ^ ' Books for ' the
Chosen Few’ was the nilmg'Co.ncept and that the Second
■ Law had no recogiiitio:n. Even in Rome, which heralded the
establishmeiit of' .municipal and state schools, the p.rivi!ege
of learning rarely crossed the ' occupational and , income
lines.
212 Middle Ages
The narrowness' of the .Middle Ages is described by
Margaret Hodgen in the following words, “The spirit of exclu-
sion which the land-owning classes asserted towards aniM-
tious villeins bound for the church ; the church toward laymen
.seeki'Bg. intellectual independence * the merchants towards
outsiders looking to enjoy profits of commercial .enterprises,
was in turn asserted by all towa.rd the educational aspirations
of, the poor,” We are even told that “ vassal fathers were
punished for allowing vassal sons to attend school.”
213 E,ighteenth Century
The spirit of exclusion persisted for centuries. Here is a
specimen of eighteenth century opinion. “To make the
Society happy and People easy under the meanest circum-
stances, it is requisite that great numbers of them should be
ignorant as well as Poor The Welfare and Felicity there-
fore of every State and Kingdom, require that the knowledge
of the Working Poor should be confined within the Verge of
their occupations and never extended (as to things visible)
beyond what relates to their Calling. The more a Shepherd,
a Plowman or any other Peasant knows of the World, and the
things that are Foreign to his Labour or Employment, the
less fit he ’ll be to go through the Fatigues and Hardships of
it with Cheerfulness and Content. Reading, Writing and Arith-
metic... are very pernicious to the Poor, who are forced
to get their Daily Bread by their Daily Labour.” What a
benevolent dispensation ! What a show of inevitableness in
this eighteenth century reasoning ! With such ideas running
rampant, one can easily imagine how effectively the concept
82
SECOND LAW AND ITS STRUGGLE
214
'Books for the Chosen Few’ would have thwarted the emer-
gence of the rival concept ‘Books for One and All.’
214 Nineteenth Century
Even the nineteenth century was for long under the spell
of this concept of a bipartite division of persons into a small
governing class consisting of those who, almost as it were by
divine right, occupied the privileged position, and the large
class of the others who, as it was supposed, by the essential;
constitution of things, belonged to the lower orders, had no
right to education and hence had no right to the instruments
of education, wz., books. The well-to-do and iniuential
classes--— the freemen of the nineteenth century — resisted out-
right, on grounds of sheer, self-interest even the bare suggestion
that the poor should be given the rudiments of education.
The story is told of the Marquis of Westminster refusing to
give even a farthing for the London Mechanics’ Institute
because of his apprehension that the education of the work-
men would make them rebel. “ True,” he said, but we must
take care of ourselves.” The struggle that books had in
reaching every person is amply illustrated by the experience
recorded by Francis Place, a Charing Cross tailor of the early
years of the last century. He “had to be more and -more'
careful that none of his ordinary customers should be allowed
to go into the library at the back of the shop.” “Had these
persons been told that I had never read a book, that I was
ignorant of everything but my own business, that I sotted in
a public house, they would not have made the least objection
to me. I should have been a ‘ fellow ’ beneath them, and they
would have patronised me; but ...to accumulate books,
and to be supposed to know something of their contents, was
putting myself on an equality with themselves, if not -indeed
assuming superiority ; it was an abominable offence in a tailor,
if not a crime, which deserved punishment Had it been'
known to all my customers thatin the few years from 1810-
1817, 1 had accumulated a 'considerable library, in which I
spent all the leisure time I could spare,'... half of them at
) 83
214 FI¥E LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
least would have left me/' We find Green cottiplaining even
late in the ninefeenth century that It is one of the inconve-
niences attaching to the present state of Society • in England
that all questions of education are- complicated by distinctions
of classes.” Even; so late as 19i8,the .Han^aridiscloses that
the Education, Bill of Mr. H. A. L. Fisher was^ opposed on
the ground that, if the workmen are to be given ' such a long
and elaborate course of education, How are the lio,rses to be
kept at work,: the cows to be milked, the sheep to be tended
and the folds to be pitched ? How is education going to help
a man who has to spread manure on a field.” A , veritable
incarnation of Barnard de Mandeville !
215 Political, Instinct
,That the political instinct of those in privileged positions
was. vehemently opposing the advent of the Second Law of
Library Science is pointed out in unmistakable words by all
students of Politics. Viscount Bryce says, for example, *‘T,,hat
all the despotic governments of sixty years ago, and some of
them down to our own day, were either indifferent or hostile
to the spread of education among their subjects, because the^^
feared that knowledge and intelligence would create a wish
for freedom.”
2151 England
The arguments of those that opposed the Ewart Bill — the
first Public Library Bill of England — were ‘'that too much
knowledge was a dangerous thing and that libraries might
become centres of political education.”^® In his Presidential
Address to the Leeds Conference, Dr. Guppy remarked, '' It
is somewhat perplexing to find that in the middle decades of
the last century, .many of the most eminent men were debating,
with all seriousness, not what was best in literature to put
before the people, but whether -'it would be safe, and wise,
and politic to admit the general public to libraries at all. So
far from readers being considered competent to handle and
examine books, it was a question whether the rough uncuL
84
'2161
SE G OND L A W AN D I T S ST R UG GL E
tured democracy should be permitted, even. with most stringent
precautions and regulations to invade the sacred precincts of
the Library.”
2152 Russia
When a library school was inaugurated at Moscow in 1913,
the following question was asked in the National Duma by
the leader of the extreme right : “ How can the government
tolerate library courses, which would pave the way for a re-
volution?”
216 Self-Preservation
Thus the Second Law had to tace not merely an inherited
habit as was the case with the First Law ; but it had also to
face a very strong opposition based on political and economic
instincts. However misleading these instincts might have been,
there is hardly any ground to' doubt their bona fide nsXuxs.
In fact, as it may be easily seen, they were mere derivatives
of a more fundamental instinct via., the instinct of self-
preservation.
2161 Contrary Inference
But, society had not been lacking in far-seeing souls that
could perceive the mistaken nature of such opposition. There
were indeed men who would draw just the opposite inference
from that very instinct of self-preservation. The location of
factories near sources of power caused a redistribution of po-
pulation and the towns were inundated with a flood of people
unaccustomed to civic responsibilities. The crowding together
of tens of thousands of the illiterate poor was creating a host
of unspeakable nuisance. For a time, the black-coated gentry
were able to maintain a safe distance from centres of dirt,
disease and petty criminality. But they could not remain aloof
for ever. Poverty rudely encroached in course of time. It
brought disease and unsavoury sights to the doors of the
vicarage and the manor. In their eagerness to defend them-
selves the gentle folk hurried to their most trusted advisers.
85
2161 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
The first of these, the economists, recommended a judicious
dose of education. Adam Smith, for example, recommended
that “ The public can impose upon almost the whole body of
the people the necessity of acquiring the most essential parts
of education, by obliging every man to undergo an exami-
nation or probation in them, before he can obtain the freedom
in any corporation, or be allowed to set up any trade either
in a village or town Corporate.” He took advantage of this
predicament of the well-to-do and even pleaded as follows ;
“The education of the Common people requires, perhaps, in
a civilised and commercial society, the attention of the public,
more than that of people of some rank and fortune...... The
public can facilitate this acquisition by establishing in every
parish or district alittle school, where children may be taught...
Though the state was to derive no advantage from the in-
struction of the inferior ranks of people, it would still deserve
its attention that they should not be altogether uninstructed.
The state, however, derives no inconsiderable advantage from
their instruction. The more they are instructed, the less liable
they are to the delusions of enthusiasm and superstition,
which, among ignorant nations, frequently occasion the most
dreadful disorders. An instructed and intelligent people, be-
sides, are always more decent and orderly than an ignorant
and stupid one. They feel themselves each individually, more
respectable and more likely to obtgin the respect of their su-
periors, and they are, therefore, more disposed to respect their
superiors. They are more disposed to examine and more
capable of seeing through, the interested complaints of
faction and sedition ; and they are, on that account, less apt
to be misled into any wanton or unnecessary opposition to
the measures of Government.”"
217 Ladder of Learning
Although, generally speaking, the words of Adam Smith
fell upon deaf ears, there were some who could appreciate
the soundness of his reasoning. In fact, it induced Mr. Whit-
bread to introduce a Bill in Parliament in 1807 for universal
86
education, though, it goes without saying, it was rejected by
an overwhelming majority. In spite of the ridicule of die-
hards, the '' Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge ”
did much to spread education among the masses, under the
inspiring leadership of Lord Brougham. The Penny cyclopae-
dia^ the. Penny magazine^ the Gallery of portraits and the
Pictorial Bible are the surviving monuments of the missionary
zeal which championed the cause of " Books for All/ in the
thirties of the last century. The majority of the magnates and:
officials of the early Victorian era desired that' the young pea-
sant ' should ■ till the same fields, with the same tools in the
same seasons as his father before him. However, enlightened
souls like Matthew Arnold ■ were impatient with the tardy
recognition' ahown to the newly emerging concept Education'
FOR All.* As Her Majesty’s Inspector of Schools, he lament-
ed, in 1853, that ‘"The children of the lowest, poorest classes
of the country, of what are called the masses, are not, to speak
generally, educated ; the children who are educated belong to
a different . class from -these, and consequently of the educa-
tion of the masses, I, in the course of my official duty, see,
strictly .speaking, little or nothing.,”*^ The first twenty pages
of Graham Balfour’s Educational systems of Great Brithin
and Ireland give a brief but vivid picture of. the ingenuity' and
tenacity with which a handful of far-seeing patriotic states-
men secured the educational enactments of 1870, 1880 and
1891, which successively made. ‘.Education for All* fi.rst
permissive, then compulsory and finally free/® Once ‘ Educa-
tion FOR All ’ had been established, it required but a decade
or two for our Second Law ‘Books for All/ to enter the
field and quietly bring about the realisation of Huxley’s
dream/® of ‘a ladder of learning* from the gutter to the
Universities,
2171 Example 1
How literally the Second Law has realised this dream of
Huxley may be seen from the account given in Adult educa-
tion and the libraryf^ about the progress of a fisher-boy
along the paths of learning. He was born in Norway. In his
87
2171 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
fourteenth year, lie was withdrawn from the school His
father said, You are not worth educating.” The lad was
sent to the eternal task of fishing in the desolate coast of the
north cf Norway. But the Norwegian Government maintain-
ed at tfiis outpost of the world a good library, though small
Its books were periodically changed and replenished. Burying
his head and heart in its books, this lad, pronounced to be not
worth educating, educated himself more than he himself real-
ised. He, then, went to the New World, began his Prepa-.
ratory School in his twenty-third year, took Ms degree in his
twenty-eighth year and settled down as a professor in his own
college.' ' Tilts career . , of " Professor Rolvaag of St., Olafls
College is by no means unique.
2172 Example 2
We, ill. Madras, . remember the ' story of the marvellous
achievement .of. books, read in the .. light ■ of street lamps, i,ii,
.raising a boy born in obscurity to the .bench of the High
Court . This, was T. Muthuswami Ayyar. His statue is ' now
adorning the centre .of the High Court Buildings. This .sway of
the Second Law has resulted in reclaiming for the benefit of
the world many such promising men from the very depths of
society. A generation or two ago, her rival, ‘Books for the
Chosen Few' would have sworn by their prenatal social
status and forced them to drag on and die, without ever
reaching their full stature.
2173 Example 3
“ Here is a woman who earns her own living as a chef in
a hotel... She noticed one day that her eldest daughter
frowned impatiently when the mother made a mistake in
grammar. The mother decided that she would not lose one
•bit of her daughter's respect on that account. She asked the
readers’ adviser to recommend books which would help her
to avoid the most common errors of grammar and pronun-
ciation, She wanted a progressive course on good English
suited to her special needs. Later she asked for books which
88
SECOND LAW- AND .ITS ;S\TR0 G G LE 2-175
would keep her informed on ■present-day happenings aiid so
on and so
2174 .'Example 4 ■
There is, again, the case of a policeman who asked for books
which would help him to discover why crimes are committed,
'What’s the use of arresting people if .you can’t help them?’"
he asked;^® He devoured books in Sociology and Psychology.
:-If he liad'lived before the advent of the Law ' Every Person
His O.R Her Book,’ what chance -woiiM he have had either to
'study, books in Sociology and Psychology or to discharge his
official duties- in ,a manner, not only satisfactory to his consci-
ence but also beneficial to 'society ? How useful and popular
Yiwf police will become :if they are made to read, like their
New Worid contemporary, books, in Sociology and Psycho-
logy in. addition to the sections of the Police Manual!
2175 ',ExampIe 5
The prophetic nature of the words of Adam Smith has been
demonstrated to the very letter by the 'services -rendered, by the
Second Law of Library Science to the public of the city of
Gra.rid Rapids in the State of Michigan. The water-supply of
the' city could not keep- up with the growth of the city, '.-..
As a result a large part of the citizens depended on wells for
much of their drinking water, because they would not drink
the unfiltered river water. The rate of -typl!o.id fever was very
high — several hundred cases 'a year — with a correspondingly
high death, rate ... The city Government and the business
interests of the city finally secured the appointment of a Spe-
cial Commission of high-grade business and professional men
to study the whole situation and to report a plan to be sub-
mitted to a vote of the citizens. After long and careful study,
tjiey recomended the adoption' of the plan to take the water-
from the river and to filter it by the rapid sand or mechanical
filtration process... Eight or ten days before the election,
full or half-page newspaper broadsides were distributed to*
every house in the city claiming that filtration was" a failure',.
89
L. s.— -6
2175 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
by publishing facsimile reproductions from newspapers and
technical magazines, etc., of items with; reference to typhoid
fever in certain cilies, and then followed by the statement that
the said cities had filtered whaler. In short, the whole purpose
of iliese broadsides was to discredit the report of the Special
Commission in order to have it defeated. New' broadsides
appeared about every other day and were always distributed to
every house in the city. They came- out over the name of “a
young uiiernp'ioyed Engineer.” The library immediately check-,
ed up a number of the references to other cities' in the aiiniial
reports and municipal documents in its collection ... on the trail
of the young engi'iieer's published -^broadsides and made the-
knowledge it found available to the newspapers,. with the 'lib-
rarian signing, the published statements of the' facts the library
found. Here is a sample of what we found., Reading, Penrisy,l»
wania and Albany, 'New York, both''had filtered water s'upplies
serving other parts. The typhoid epidemics -were in the sectio..ns
■ of those- cities- served by the unfiltered supplies. The ..broad-
side advertisements were correct in stating that Reading and
Albany both had typhoid epidemics and both had filtered
water, but, nevertheless, these statements were both damnable
lies in the impressions they conveyed. Thus, ‘‘ the library was
the first...... to rally the forces to save the day for pure water.
Pure water won at the polls and Grand Rapids, except for
sporadic cases brought in from outside, has, as a result, elimi-
nated typhoid fever from the city ... T have always believed
that the library would have been derelict in its duty had it
failed to give to the public the knowledge it had on such a
vital matter.”
2176 General Triumph
Instances of this nature can be multiplied ad nauseam. But
as it is not our purpose to record here the achievements of
^ Books for All’ suffice it to say that, to-day, the Second
Law of Library Science has triumphantly planted its demo-
cratic flag in many a land, having blown to pieces the black-
coated barrier of exclusiveness and snobbery. During the last
90
SECOND LAW AND ITS STRUGGLE 2181
century, Europe and America, Japan and Russia, were as im-
pervious to its appeals and as impregnable to its attacks as
India was. But, to-day, Europe and America, Japan and
Russia have capitulated to it.
218 Resistance by India
But India is still defiantly holding her own. Who is respon-
sible for this strange phenomenon? Who has been helping.
India to stick to her guns in this battle against ‘Books for
All/ while she has been establishing a world record in losing
•battles in other spheres ? . .
2181 English-educated Indian
Whatever might be the complex^ of contributory causes, her
“ Eng.lish-educated ** sons cannot escape their s,hare of the
blame. Macaulay and Wood imported English education into
India with the best of motives. They, evolved their famous
‘filtration theory’ with the highest of hopes. They could not
have reasonably foreseen that the filter would develop human
jealousy and selfish exclusiveness. Certainly, they never, for
a moment,. dreamt that the filter will work, in the contrary
way and get itself coated with another super-filter that will
grant a place in the sun only to-, those English-educated
Indians, who could get their 'English-education on Englisli
soil. Yes. This tragic triumph of India in her fight against
the in.trusion of the Second. Law of Library.. Science,' nay,.'
even of its.' precursor, .‘Education fo.r .All,’ is .not a little due
to. the almost crim,in,al . apathy and neglect-of duty. on the-part -.'
of her better placed “.English-educated” sons. They have
developed an abnormal short-sight which disables them from
seeing beyond their nose, at any rate beyond their privileged
circle. They glibly speak of India, and her millions, when
they mean only the two per cent of her millions who can lisp
in English. Remind them how you will that Macaulay inten-
ded that they should, actively and ungrudgingly, spread their
knowledge among the masses. No, they will rather prefer to
take their lesson .from Bernard de Mandeville. Honourable
91
'2181 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
exceptions there are and all honour to them. But the majority
act as an impervious clog in the filter.
2182 Hope and Faith
Our only hope lies in the supreme resourcefulness of the
Second Law. History has shown that it is an adept in the art
of strategy. If Macaulay’s filter has proved a snare, ere long
it will divert its course and keep clear of this clog in the
‘filter’. The Second Law will not take a defeat. It must win
ultimately. That is our faith. With the world opinion backing
it, it may win even at no distant date. If they are shrewd
business men, the ‘ English-educated ’ Indians should greet it
with an olive branch and volunteer their services in its holy
war on lingering ignorance. Then only, they will gain any res-
pect in the eyes of the world and then only can they survive
amidst the forces that will be set free on the day the Second
Law plants its flag on Indian soil and puts the Books in the
hands of All, even as it has done on other soils.
22 The Men and the Women
The antithesis has not been merely between the classes and
the masses. As we trace the prejudices of ages in the light of
the Second Law of Library Science, we come across several
others. It is not merely the income line that has, for long,
divided humanity into those that are entitled to the use of
books and those that are not. Sex, for example, was another
factor that restricted the enforcement of the Law, ‘ Books for
All.’ In our own country, the Second Law has not yet fully
succeeded in overcoming such sex disabilities.
221 Then and Thereafter in India
No doubt, the conditions have begun to change. Signs of
the onslaught of the Second Law are not wanting. The surg-
ing wave of ‘ Books for All ’ may, ere long, wash away even
the hardened bank of the feminine conservatism of the Indian
Home. But that should not close one’s eyes to the tenacious
fight that is being fought to-day, in several homes against the
92
SECOND LAW AND ITS STRUGGLE 2231
encroach ment of the “pernicious habit’ of reading among
ladies. Nor should one delude onself with the fond but blind-
ing boast that our country had, in days past, kept the road
wide open for her women; to emulate the stronger sex in the
pursuit of learning. It does not help us now to be told that
women could and did read as well as men from the Vedic
days onwards down to the day; when an alien tongue drove a
cultural wedge into the till-then homogeneous home. It is only
half the truth to say that the use of a foreign medium for cur-
rent thought has sequestered Indian women from the world
current that has enabled their sisters in many a clime to keep
abreast of their brethren. The glorious record of women like
Maitreyi, Panchali, Lilavati and Auvaiar and the stili-surviv-
ing memory of the learned ladies that formed the fitting. life
companions of the intellectual giants of places like Tiruvisa-
lur, should not make us rest on our oars. For every Maitreyi
we have a Katyayini. Many of our sisters are still straggling
a century behind, unlettered, untutored, and unprovided with
books. But, if it can be a source of consolation and encour-
agement, it may be mentioned that the concepts “ EDUCATiON
FOR All ’ and “ Books for All ’ definitely crossed the sex-
barrier only within the last half-century or so in most of the
countries.
223 Tradition
From the days of the primitive man, the majority of women
have generally occupied a sheltered place and have not had,
therefore, a higher cultural or professional training such as
would enable them to deal with large affairs. In earliest as
well as recent civilisations, the- limits to which feminine ac-
complishments might extend have generally been definitely
fixed by custom. Those who dared to exceed them have run
the risk of being thought “unwomanly.’
2231 Ancient Times
In Athens, it seems, it was an accepted dogma that no res-
pectable girl should be educated. . The Athenian wife, for ex-
93
ample., lived a virtual prisoiier^withm' four walls... They*
could not in their own persons inherit' 'property, but were re-
garded as an appanage of the estate... Their education was
trivial’'^ The social ostracism -practised tO: prevent ladiei
from getting their share of education and books' is indicated:
by the following statement about the. education of woman; in
Greece : Literary education and inteilectuai pursuits belo'Hg-
ed to those who were without the home-circle, the hetaerae.'”®*^.
In the writings of St. Paul, there appeared similar restrictions
which seemed to set women offas an inferior, dependent class.
After referring to the sixteenth verse of the third chapter of
■ Genesis regarding the status of women, he wrote, ‘^Arid if
they will learn anything, ■ let them ask . their - husbands at
home.**««
2232 Eighteenth Century
For a long time it was even commonly believed that women
were not capable of education. Here is Chesterfield writing to
his son Women, then, are only children of a larger growth;
they 'have an entertaining tattle, and sometimes wit; but for
solid reasoning, good sense, I never in my life knew one that
had it,... A man of sense... neither consults them about, nor
trusts them with, serious matters.”®^ Again Rousseau says of
women that she is "an imperfect man,’ that in many respects
she is only "a grown-up child. He adds, “ The search for
abstract and speculative truths, principles, and scientific axi-
oms, whatever tends to generalise ideas, does not fall within
the compass of women;... as to works of genius, they are out
of their reach, nor have they sufficient accuracy and attention
to succeed in the exact sciences.”®® Rousseau would willingly
repeat Moliere’s words : —
It is not seemly, and for many reasons.
That a woman should study and know so many things.
Rousseau’s conception of the capacity of women is only
what was too common in France and other countries in the
eighteenth century.
SEC ON 0 ■: L AW A K D ' ..1 T-S/ STRUG, G,L' E ■ ■ 2234
■ ■ , 2233'' Ni.netee:ntli ■ Ce'ntury ■
The niiieteenth' century tried to excel the eighteefith by in-
venting anatomical explanations for the woman’s incapacity
to beiieit by boo.ks and learning. Here .is a piece of serious
scientific demonstration which dates from. 1866.— A man has
will and imderstanding, and '.a cerebellum and a cerebriiiii by
which they act; and so has woman: 'In this they are alike.
But in man the understanding predominates, and .in woman
the will; and here they are different. If This be so, we may, of
course, expect to find a larger development of the cerebrum,
or upper brain, in man, and a larger' development of the cere-
bellum: or lower brain, in woman; ' and this is so, 'A, maiTs
head is higher, and fuller in front, than a woman’s while a
woman’s head is broader and larger behind than a man’s.”
Another contem,porary of this anatomical. psychologist cannot
see any virtue in wasting such elabofate reasoning to establish
such an obvious thing. The great argument,” he would say,
** against the existence of this equality of intellect in women
is., that it does not exist. If that proof does not satisfy a
female philosopher, we have no better to give.”
2234 Masculine Prejudice
If girls’ schools existed, they aimed at ‘ breeding/ deport-
ment and. the accomplishments, not at learning.”®®', in his.
Essay on projects, Daniel .Defoe gives a pathetic description
of the customary education of girls in the following words:
“ One' would wonder indeed how it should happen that women'
are ,co,iiversible at. ail, since they are only beholding to natural
parts for ail their knowledge. Their youth is spent to teach
them to stitch and sew or, make bawbles ; they are taught to
read indeed and perhaps to write their names or so ; and that
h the height of a woman’s education.” If any lady acquired
learning, the attitude towards such learned ladies was one of
contempt and ridicule. We have it recorded that Dr. Johnson
once laid down the dictum that, “ man is, in general, better
pleased when he has a good dinner on his table, than when
his wife talks Greek.” His contemptuous parallelism between
95
2234 FIVE LAWS OF HBRAR-.Y'.'SCIE.NCE ■
a woman preaching and a dog walking'.on his hind legs'is also
well known. We have the story of an American bachelor :
■who explained his single state saying.
One did command to me a wife both fair and young
That had French, Spanish and Italian t0ngu&,
I thanked him kindlv and told him I loved none such,
For I thought one tongue for a wife too much. ■ ■
What! love ye not the learned? Yes, as my life,
. . A learned scholar, but not a learned wife;” '
2235 Feminine Prejudice ■
;The effects of such "disparage’inent of women's^ powers, the
lack of incentives to. learning and the ridicuk, that was offer-
ed to thC' few who would learn, had a disastrous ■ elect in
shaping the opinion of the women themselves with rega,,rd to
their right to education and books. They would fain continue
■for' ever on the established folkways of traditional ideas.
Many an Indian of to-day may hear within the walls of his
home an unmistakable echo' of the emphatic words “Book
larnin ’ don’t do no good to a woman ” uttered by an Ameri-
can lady about a couple of generations ago.’^'^ Indeed the
obstinate feminine conservatism which keeps the Second Law
at bay and wallows with self-complacency in a book-less,
education-less state reminds one of the victims of Comus,
who are
“ changed
Into some brutish form of wolf, or bear,
Or ounce or tiger, hog, or bearded goat,
And they, so perfect in their misery,
Not once perceive their foul disfigurement,
But boast themselves more comely than before.”^®
224 Women’s Right to Education
However dogged custom has been, during the slow passage
of many centuries, to keep ‘Education’ and its companiorL
the Second Law of Library Science on one side of the sex-
line, it is certain that in this age of social unrest, when prac-
tically every custom and institution of every society is
96
SECOND LAW, ANB' ITS STRUGGLE 2241
exposed to the unsparing scrutiny of critical minds, women
and women's right to education' and books have been thrust
into the forefront of discussion. The whole vexed question
of the woman's "sphere’ and of her education viewed in the
light of that 'sphere’ has engaged the minds of men for more
than a generation and is, at present, nearly settled in the only
right inanner admissible. It is , now, admitted that even Uni-
versity educatio,ii is . desirable for at least a great number of
women. That education will unfit woman to be wife, and
.mother, that the physical strain will be too great, or that she
is intellectually incapable of mastering higher branches of
learning, were serious arguments a generation or two ago and
unquestionably acted as impediments. But they are now. only
sliimberiiig memories in the social mind of a' busy world and
come to the 'ce,ntre of consciousness only in some sequestered
nooks, .still undistu.rbed by the awakening. The antediluvian
view, which would utterly ..restrict the woman, making her at
best a tolerably intelligent and obedient slave, is already vani-
shi,ng. The 'least that may now- , be done is to give her a
measure of freedom by taking a half-step forward towards
her education, arguing that, by this cultivated-mother influ-
ence, the life of society m.ay be improved at the very fountain-
,head. But the most radical view, fast gaining ground, would
propose absolute equality of opportunity in education and
in. political, social and economic life, maintaining that a
woman need not, un.Iess ; she ■ herself . so desires, pay ' her
■obligation to society, biologically, any more than man, but
should be' equipped so^ .as to be equally free to choose a
literary, scientific or industrial career.' ■ ■
2241 Education through Apprenticeship
So far, we have seen only the first .phase of the war on <he
sex-barrier. The Second Law of Library Science had no part
in this phase of the war. It was all left to its precursor
' Education for All.’ But the campaign against sex-distinc-
tions involved more battles than that against class distinctions.
Even after the sex-barrier was broken through by its com-
97
2241 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
panion, the Second Law was not able to march on, freely-
For, until the latest radical view., began to appear , on. the
scene, people argued, Yes. Education is necessary for a
woman and she is capable of it. ' But woman’s education, to
prepare her for her allotted sphere— the home— can be obtain-
ed through apprenticeship to her mother, in the home. There
is no need for any formal schooling- or book-learning, wh/icli
would lead her away from the hearth.”
The little learning I have gained.
Is all from simple nature drained,
was a. correct description of the state- of affairs, in-the latter
half of the last century, a state which was not favourable for
thesuccess of ‘Books FOR Women.’.' ■
2242 Need for Formal Education
Fortunately, however, even before the radical view asserted
itself and blew up the sex-barrier, it came to be realised that
such a natural process of education is not practicable in the
crowded life of to-day, that, formal education and book-
learning are necessary even for cooking, nursing, and the care
of children. The increasing incapacity of the home to hold
the monopoly of the education of its daughters and the
changing conception of education did much to prepare the
public mind to receive the gospel, ‘ Every Woman too Her.
Book.’ Even assuming that the sphere of the woman was the
home, it came to be realised that home-making is at once an
art and a science. It is a progressive art and a developing
science. It has a serious organic contact with the Fine Arts on
the one side and the severest sciences on the other. It would
include, for example, care of children, nursing, first aid, foods
and nutrition, of course, cooking, marketing, launderying,
millinery, sewing, budget-making and thrift, kitchen-gardening
and horticulture, home hygiene, home sanitation, home deco-
ration, the making of simple repairs, home courtesies and
obligations of family and family life.'^® Such is the complex
of elements involved in the profession of home-making.
98
225
S E C O N D ;L a, W ■ AND ,1 T S ■ • S T R U, G'G D B
Women ought to be constantly'trained for these men
are trained'for their trades and professions.
2243 ■ Education through Books
There is: much in the plea,.. When the other sex are to .be
instructed in law, medicine' or divinity,,they are favoured with
II omerous institutions richly endowed, with teachers of the
' highest talents and acquirements and with expensive libraries
. ... Woman’s profession embraces the care and nursing of the
body in the critical periods of infancy and sickness, the train-
ing of, the human mind in the most impressible period,
childhood, the instruction and control of servants, and most,
of the governme:ii.t and economics of the family estate. These
duties' of' women are as sacred and' important as any ordain-,
ed to man '; and yet no such advantages for preparation have
been accorded to her.” Such, a reproach was justifiable till
about three or four, decades .ago.. However, every effort is
now being made in all forward countries to have that reproach
removed by a proper orientation of the initial education at
school and by a profuse supply of books for that education to
be continued to the end of o,ne’s life. ‘Every Woman Her
Book ’ is the giiiding motto of the libraries of to-day. They
now take care to see that their books reach behind the purdah.
They endeavour, for example, “to get all mothers, whose
names appear in; the official records of birth when a new baby
comes into the home, into contact with the Library’s book-
service on the care of children.”'* Such a discriminating dis-
tribution of books in restricted fields of knowledge marks the
second stage.
225 Scientific Study
It is however in the third phase of the war that the sex-
barrier was completely overthrown in the march of the Law
‘Books for All.’ This phase is taking shape only in the
present century. It began with a critical investigation into the
inherited tradition about the ‘ woman’s sphere and about the
' woman’s inferiority ’ in matters intellectual.
99 '
.225! FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
2251 Anatomical Study
The first to lay the axe to the root of the pseudo»scientiic
opinion of the nineteenth century ■ was Karl Pearson, In Ms
paper of 1897 entitled Variation in man and Mwwa/i/' he
clearly demonstrated that, in' fact, no greater variability was
indicated by anatomical measurements of actual human beings
treated with mathematical insight. He made a rigorous statis-
tical exainination of' varied anatomical data. : Based on these,
he concluded his long paper in- his characteristic carping
manner with the words “I ...assert that the present results
show that the greater variability often claimed for men re-
mains as yet a quite unproven- principle ... The "■'*' sequacity ”
exhibited by the multitude of semi-scientific writers on evolu-
tion is possibly a sign of the very small capacity for inteliectual
variation possessed by the literary male.”’® The evidence
collected: by Karl Pearson was extended and corroborated by
further statistical, data published, by Montague and Holling-
MOtih in Xht American journal of sociology in October, 1914,
2252 Psychological Study
This, anatomical investigation was followed by the psycho-
logical demonstration of the absolute absence of sex difference ■
in mental variability by the elaborate mental tests carried out
by Trabue, Courtis, Terman and Pyle.- Again, there was the
time-honoured traditional opinion that the functional periodi-
city has an unfavourable effect on woman’s mental capacity,
Havelock Ellis, for example, makes the sweeping rem.ark that
the monthly physiological cycle “influences throughout the
month the whole of a woman’s physical and psychic org-
anism.”®^ But Dr. Hollingworth’s experimental investigation
of 1914 into this allegation disclosed the contrary. The data,
gathered by her, undermined rather than supported such
opinions.®^
226 Assertion -of Equality
After experimental psychology thus established that the
division of labour between the sexes, which had existed
100
23
SECOND, LAW A NC . I T S- S T R U G'.G L,E,
throughout fiistoric times, was not the result of psychological
differences at ,, all, and that women are as competent intelieC”
tually as men to undertake any and ail human vocations, it
■ ■ came ,to be realised that the education of women, especially
in the higher stages, will make available to the country a
wealth of capacity that is now largely wasted through lack
of opportunity and it even ■ came to be argued that an edu-
cated woman, a woman when given 'Her, Btoks’ "is a far
* better and surer guarantee of - the education of the -comihg
generation , than a literate mao.”®® Then came the oppor-
tunity for the Second Law to break through the sex-barrier
and triumpliantly proclaim., "Education ■ should develop
women's tastes and aptitudes precisely as men's. The rights
of woin,en to choose their books should be precisely: the same
as those of men.. The books that I distribute should be di-ffer-
ent, not on the ground t.hat the one is a man and the other a
woman; but, they should be. different only on the ground
, t,hat each is an individuaL” Thus, the Second Law of Library
Science is now no longer satisfied with o,ffering to women books
on Home-making or with hooks of orthodox devotion ; on the
other hand it insists that all books have a perfect right to
enter any home .for the benefit of ail the .members of the home
irrespective of sex,
23* Tie City-Folk mi tie Coiintry-Folk
A third antithesis that -had to be overcome .by the Law
A;' > that between the city-folk and the
^ , ■ country-folk. , The municipal toll-gate seems to have held up
the Second Law even longer'- than the income-line or the
sex-barrior. We have seen that the income-line was nearly
crossed in most countries, about half-a-century ago. We have'
also noticed 'that , the scaling of the sex-barrier was begun at
least a gen.eration back. But' the cry ' Books for All ' was^
able to get beyond the city-walls only in our days. To be
more precise, the right of the country-folk to books came to
be respected in most of the countries only after World
War L Although the first systematic travelling library service
:23„ :Libra..ry :s€ience^
:,waS: inaugerated, by Maryla^^ early as. 1905, ,it
; was., only, ill • the last decade , or 'so that serious effort was made
''by..,most .of the .nations to supply the, inhabitants of the .scat*-
....■tered .cbuntry-slde with the books they wanted.
231 Differentiation
- That the country-folk lack the opportunity for learning
and culture is clear from the contempt that is compressed in
^ the English word^ ' Rustic ’ and the Tamil word ' Nattuppurat-
■ tan! It is also indicated by the common connotation of the
Sanskrit .ep.ithet ^ Gramya.\'\ In hk Hellentca, Xenophon
naively, suggests by^ implication that habitual residence in
villages would be enough to deprive one of some of the com-
monest'rights and privileges. He says, - ^ They did not however,
dispossess them of the presidency of the shrine of Olympian
Zeus, even though it did not belong to the Eleanos in ancient
times, for they thought that the rival claimants were country
people ” (italics mine). Such a differential view has been
persisting all through the ■ centuries. Hannah More, for ex-
ample, ‘‘would not ‘banish ignorance’ from the villages;
vice she would have ousted if she could, but knowledge,
except of their duties and their ‘place’ she would have
advised her ...villagers to leave to their betters in the
urban areas.
231 i Menaces in City
The fact is that, even at a very early stage, the increasing
complexities and the grave menaces attendant on the civic
problems of a crowded city made out a strong plea for ‘ Edu-
cation FOR All ’ and ‘ Books for All ’ in the case of the
city-folk. That inexorable mistress, Necessity, however, did
not, for long, put a similar pressure in regard to the country-
folk. While the consequences of ignorance and lack of books
are immediate in an urban area, they are latent and become
visible only very late in rural areas.
* Literally means a villager,
t Grama means a village while Grarnya means vulgar.
102
LA W^. A.-ND i T S , S;TR:U,G'G LE,, , : :';,23i3
2312 Importance of Peasantry :
Nevertheless, the farmers of the village form a: most' ^
portant class in a country. Tilling the land is one of man's
fundamental and original occupations. Adam was a. gardener
and Abraham, a shepherd. Agriculture feeds' the' world: It
calls for progressive skill. The national need for an ■ alert,;
adaptable peasantry can be met only by extending the use of
books to the country-side. Even' in an industrial country like
England, where only 20 per cent live in villages, and the cities
form the chief centres of. production, it is felt that the future
of the nation would be jeopardised if the handful of people
who live in the country-side are not given Their Books. How
much' more serious and vital should be the rural library pro-
blem in our land, where, even confining ourselves to British
India, only 12.9 per cent of. the population of 247 millions
live in- towns... there are only 29 cities with a population of
100.000 or over... and 2,100 towns with a population between
5.000 and 100,000, while the number of villages is not far
short of half a .million?'^® 'Further, the Indian towns and cities
have not yet become s.imilar in their' function to the iodiistrial
towns and cities of England. As Mr. V. Ramaswamy Ayyar,'
the learned president of the Indian 'Mathematical Society,
hu'moroiisly remarked in a recent Retreat of the International'
Fellowship, the fu,nction. of most of the Indian towns is like
that of the .receiver of an air pump. Very little of their stir
a'lid bustle is due to productive activities. They are largely
engaged in sucking the wealth;' that is produced in the villages
and discharging it beyond the seas. It is in view of this, that
the Linlithgow Commission recorded,' ‘‘ It is upon the homes
and fields of her cultivators that the strength of the country
and the foundations of her prosperity must ultimately rest.”®^
2313 Stimulus of New Ideas
But, in the present st'ate';.of international competition and
struggle, the agricultural and other rural industries are pro-
ving to be more and more futile and less and less worthwhile,
if carried on in the old time-honoured methods of production
103
FIVE LAWS OF\::MB\RARY,:SC!EN''eE
2313
and marketing. The chief needs'-' of these riiral industries are
the daily stiitiiiliis of new ideas and the' constant 'provision
of instriiction in such ideas. New methods, in farming are
being Invented from year to year. New markets have to be
found from time to time. Inter-eomraunications' are being
established. in ways hitherto -undreamt, of; These have, to be,
understood. Machinery and labour-saving devices are i'li.
urgent need of adoption. .-
2314 Flux of Ideas a.nd Books
Till recently, families lived on the land, and produced, by
hand nearly all that they ate or .wo.re. The, oxen and the
wooden, ploiigli were about all the labour-saving devices at
hand. People made their own '.butter, candles,- and clothing,
evaporated their own. salt, and' ground their own corn in. pri-
mitive - hand-operated mills. .Business was carried on- chiefly
by barter. But, in the short period of one generatio,ii, epoch-
making inventions in agricultural macliiiie.ry and methods
have been perfected and are being introduced elsewhere. At
such a flux, the ‘School of Books'" must constantly ,supp,ie-'
ment the school of practical experience.
2315 Changes in Marketing
Improvements in marketing have also contributed much to
the need for a progressive peasantry and to the need., for the.fre-,
queiit feeding of the peasantry on books and magazines. .No
longer have small loads of produce to be taken over a muddy
road to be sold or exchanged. Good, metalled road, motor-
truck, net-work of railroad and parcel express have greatly
changed the methods of transport. Steamship and motor-boat
gather up the products and quickly deliver them in the
world’s great markets. The betels of Kumbakonam have now
to find a market in Madras and far-oft' Benares. The plantains
of Erode have to be marketed throughout India. So too with
the fruits of the orchards and vineyards of Coorg and Kashmir.
The cotton of Tinnevelly and the paddy of Tanjore have to
search for markets overseas. Farm-products can no longer be
104
I
SECONB LAW.. AND .-ITS STRUGGLE 2316
bartered in the village. They- have to be judiciously sold in
exchange for hmdies. These conditions will not be temporary
or transient. They have come to stay. Year by year, they
will, become -nior^aiid more pronounced. From now on, we
may look upon farming as being,' a capitalised industry, cal-
ling for knowledge and executive ability and attracting men
of capital and brains. The man of small energy or capacity
and the man lacking in' growing scientific knowledge will find
it increasingly difiicuit to avoid being pushed to the wall. We
can no longer depend, upon. a peasantry perpetually steeped
in ignorance and confined to. traditional ways. If the country
is to keep abreast of the- world, the peasantry must be con-
stantly lifted from their ruts.' It must be enlightened with the
most up-to-date scientific and economic facts and ideas. ■ How
will this be possible except through books and periodicals ?
Ca/i wC' any longer afford to delay giving the Country-folic.
THEIR Books?,,
2316 Change in- Social Horizon
Nor is it left to the city-folk to deny their rural brethren
the pleasures of books and the other amenities of , life. ■ For, in
the words of the recent -Royal ' Commission on Agriculture,
“ Upon the ancient structure of village life, certain infiuences
are at work which must sooner or later profoundly modify its
characteristic' self-sufficiency and which, in some parts of the
country, have already begun to produce their effects/’ /‘The
development of communications and the consequent quicken-
ing and cheapening of travelling facilities are bringing the
villages into closer touch with urba,n,- areas ...contact with
towns introduces new Ideas and desire for better conditions
of living/’ The farmer’s life is, -in fact, mentally changing.
The old isolation and the narrow ' provincialism' are rapidly
ending. He and his wife will,: no longer, be markedly; ‘‘ of the
country/’ They, and particularly theh: children, dress much
better than formerly. The movements of the family are no
longer limited by the locomotive power of its bullock. The
inter-urban bus takes them to town almost any hour. A trip
'105:
l,s.—7
'2316 ' ■ F:I:VE;;:LA.W O^F;' tiBRA.R y science
to 'town, wflich lately consumed the better part of a day, is
now only a matter of an hour or so. It is easy to go in the
evening after , the day’s work is done. The cinema and the
theatre, once unknown, now offer their attractions. City con-
nections— financial, social and political— are established. ' The
children attend the High' School in the neighbouring town or
. city; they copy town ways; and they form new friendships
there. The social horizon is thus greatly enlarged. ' Marriages
are accordingly made at much greater distances than formerly
and with mew social classes.
232 Travelling Library ,,
This rapid and intensive intermingling of the city-folk and
the country-folk would lead the latter to demand for them-
selves all the facilities that the former enjoy. Farm-workers
and farmers would begin to argue '' We pay our toil to the
exchequer as much as the city. Then, why this differeiitiai
treatment? Why should the city-folk alone have their City-
Libraries and all the amenities that ceiit.re round them? Why
should not the State provide us also with, similar library and
other facilities? We too have brains. We too wunt to improve
our knowledge of the world. We too want to be up-to-date
in our methods of work. We too want ‘Our Books.’” Modern
democracy has invested .such awakened peasa.'nts with the
■power to ‘Demand Their Book,’.- if they are not' voluntarily
forthcoming, ’and to make their demand heard. Such, in feet,
was the genesis of the first systematic travelling library.
2321 Maryland
‘Tn Washington County, Maryland, there lived many
people who had few books to read, for whom buying books
was too costly a procedure, but who were hungry for good
literature. Some of these people came to Miss Mary ,L. Tit-
comb of the Hagerstown free library and asked that hooks be
seat to them (italics mine)... This gave Miss Titconib the idea
that a wagon fitted with book-shelves and laden with a wide
assortment of books, going over the, mountain roads to the
106
SECOND LAW AND, ITS STRUGGLE 2322
homes, would be a splendid way of giving the people a chance
to read... This was in 1905. , In 1910 the horse and wagon gave
way to the aiitomobile..Nownear,ly 300 counties have followed
the example of Hagerstown, Maryland.”®® Nay, the counties
of several other parts of the world are also beginning to fol-
low that example. It Js the initial of the country-folk
of Maryland that started the. idea.
■ . 2322 England
The wise administrators of the Carnegie United Kingdom
Trust have shown how to create in villagers a demand for
books,' i'll' case , they are oblivious either of the benefit of the
use of books or of their right to demand them. We have it on
the aiitiiority of no less a person . than S,ir William Robertson,.-
the first, Vice-President of the, Trust. In describing the genesis
of the Rural Libraries of Great Britain, he said : We baited
our hook very generously. We said " We will not only U-oder-
take to provide the Capital outlay, but also undertake to
provide maintenance ' for. five' years,’ so that the local autho-
rity—a'iways in terror of .rates — need have no fears on -the
ground of having to increase- the rates. We had to lure them
on ; as we were convinced that by the time- the five years had
expired, a real, abiding appetite for reading would have been
— not created, because it was .latent, it was the.re, — but dis-
covered so that if the local authorities at t.he expiry of- that
period were reactionary and. . wanted to go back on the
seheine, they -would not -be allowed' to do so by the people.
We went from county- to. county ... We did not wait to be
■approached by them, we. were the initiators of the scheme,
and we took the Initial step of inviting them to consider such
an offer,” The first County-library Scheme of England was
inaugurated in Staffordshire' in' 1916. Such a deliberate, cal-
culated campaign for less than- a decade was enough to carry
^ Books for All ’ beyond .the city-walls and to spread it
triumphantly into all but three of the counties of England. As
a result, the demand of the English country-folk for * Their
Books’ became so insistent'.-that .Parliament had to provide
107
, 2322^ FIVE LAWS OF ■LIBRARY SCIENCE
by the Ameiidmg Act of 1919®*^' for 'a Riiral. Library Scieine
OR a county basis' and to appoint a Public ^ Libraries Com-
mittee in 1924 to ' enquire into the adeq'uacy of the library
provision '’ and to explore, among other things, the means
of extending and ' completing S'uch provision, througfioiit
England and Wales/’ .
2323 India
The recent reforms have invested the Indian ryots also with
a simitar power to demand Their Books and to ask for a
nation-wide Rural , Library Scheme, with all the latest amenT
ties' that go with it. It may not be long before they realise the
possession of this power and; exercise it. That day can be
hastened by inducements such as their contemporaries in
Britain received from ' the 'Carnegie United Kingdom Trust.'
Even if there is no such prospect for the ryots of India, syste-
matic and continued propaganda by- bodies like the Madras
Library : Association can do much to carry the message of the
Second Law to the coantryside and to open the eyes of the
villagers to the use of books and to their right to have thein,
233 Drift to City
But, even ' from, a narrower and strictly selfish point of
view, the city-folk would be 'Well advised to concede to the
demands - of the Second - Law- to give the Country-folk, too.
THEIR Books, It is in their own interest to help in the reduc-
tion of the ever-increasing drift of the population from the
village to the city. Various causes excite such a drift ; but
there are some whose effects can be minimised by a judicious
capitulation to the Second Law of Library Science.
233! Educated Boy
Take, for example, one such cause, clearly set forth by the
Linlithgow Commission. The village fellows of an educated
boy “ regarded him as possessing a qualification in virtue of
which, he could, almost for the asking, obtain, employment of
a kind which was beyond their reach ... This has confributed
108
SECOND LAW 'and ITS STRUGGLE 2333
to tlie drift of educated boys from the village to the town,
which still continues though the conditions which gave rise to
it are rapidly changing. ' The supply of educated men for
ordinary routine work under Government and in business-
houses nearly exceeds the demand ... In so far as it is accen-
tuated by the drift of educated boys from thC' villages to the
towns, there to swell the ranks of the' educated unemployed,
it can, in our view, only be remedied by the spread of edu-
cation in rural areas T/i combination with an improvement in
the amenities of village- life. It is hopeless to endeavour to put
the clock back by restricting education to a minimum,’'
(italics mine).. .
2332 From Boy to Parent '
This ' tendency to drift spreads easily from the boy to the
parent. A large majority of farmers have at least two to four
months of leisure during summer. These summer months
induce a vacation-habit. Accordingly, the farmer spends a few
summers with his son or daughter ‘"in town” or in some
distant city, leaving his lands in the care of a hired agent.
The attractions of the city entice him and his family, to such
an extent, that he rents' his lands to tenants, often closing
down,' his village-house entirely, and the whole family moves
to town to enjoy its social and educational advantages. The'
next .step— he .goes home, sells out. and comes back, to settle
permanently in the city with no- more tho'uglit about the vil-
lage and farm. One- of the most important social questions,
now facing those interested- in. rural welfare, is how to p,reveiit ...
this , -purposeless drift, ■
2333 Dullness of Village Life
Even if an educated boy has got the strength of mind to go
back to the village, the dmry conditions prevailing there,
the absolute lack of means of intellectual recreation and of
guidance in his daily pursuits leads to one of two results.
Either he comes in time to neglect and finally lose sight of his
serious interests, fall into a morbid state of mind and becomes
109
2333 FIVE LAWS 'O-F XIBRARY., SClENej^^^
a lifelong victim to cards or he runs . back to ' town dreading
the dullness of village life.
■ 234':Effect OF Drift ,
Apart from disastrous economic consequences^ such a drift
to the city unnecessarily adds to the oongestion k the cities,
increases the cost' of living of the city-folk and, renders the
niainteiiaiice of Public Health more difficult and more costly.
235 Prevention OF Drift
The fact is. The. country needs a new rural class. and new
conditions in the rural parts- to keep them to their rural duties
and functions. This . necessitates inevitably books in the
villages— books of all kinds— so that the long engagementless
summer may ■ be endurable and. so that the inquiring mind
may find food ready to hand without wandering to the towns
to seek for it. . Once the Rural Library Scheme is started, it
can be— in other countries it has' been — made to extend' its
sphere far beyond books. It will send to villages cinema-reels
and lantern slides,, both for recreation and for information.
It will help in the oganisation of musical concerts, lectures,
dramas and exhibitions, of ail kinds. It will endeavour to
function up to every new opportunity for service reasonably
within its field. Further, as a centre for the community life,
the Rural Library has certain advantages over other rural -in-
stitutions. It is common property for -all and has a democracy
about it which the temple and the mutt do not, as a rule, have.
2351 Rural Library Service
In fact, if the Law -‘Books- for All’ be allowed to cross
the city-walls, it will attempt to invest the village with all the
possible amenities and intellectual opportunities that have
been, till now, found only in urban areas. In this way a pro-
gressive Rural Library Service will become a powerful agency
in minimising the undesirable drifit from the village to the
city.
110
■second; LA w,.;a-nd, .ITS STRUGGLE ;2362'
v 236 DRGANISATiON''OF RuR^^ LIBRARY SERVICE
. .Although it" is our. intention to reserve all. technical details
, to a,l.ater volume of this series, the supreme importance .of the ;
Rural .'Library Scheme for. India will justify a' short, digression"
into: the problem of the organisation of village libraries-
WMle a Taiiik may ultimately prove , to be the most coii“
venieiit unit area for the scheme of rural libraries, at present
it may be more expedient to start on a District basis, Aithougli
the area of a district may prove- to be too large, the resources
of a Dist,rict Board as well as its capacity for sustained work
and direction are much greater than those of a Taluk Board- .'
2361 District Librarian
The inauguration and the 'initial shap,ing of a District
Library Service will depend largely on the resourcefulness and
enthusiasm of the First District Librarian. The unique educa-
tional activities of one of our ■ West Coast districts, I have
reasons to attribute largely to the^ appointment of a resource-
ful fiilltimed Educational Officer .who is; given not ' only -full
freedom but also ungrudging facilities. Similarly,- if any -new-
scheme like a District Library Scheme is to prove- a success,
the first requisite is the selection and appointment of a
well-trained, resourceful, enthusiastic librarian as the Library
Organiser of the District; 'No District Authority should
commit the blunder of initiating its scheme without this
essential preliminary. If.it does, it- will be only attempting to
prove that the scheme won’t work. . '
2362 First Know the People
If the appointment of the -District Librarian should be the
first step of the District Board, the first thing that the librarian
himself should do is to get first-hand' knowledge of the people
whom he has to serve. It would be unwise and fatal to start
wifh standardised notions about the requirements of the vil-
lagers. Experience in other countries has shown that villages
apparently identical in type actually need different standards
of books. The county librarian of Nottinghamshire gives
111
2362 FIVE LA WS'^:OF..'XIBR,A:R.y. ,.
telling examples of this in her paper on '/How to start a
Comity Library Scheme,’’®®" which, by the way, is a very lucid
exposition of the itiitial difficuities of a District Library
Organiser, Her first precept is ''■First know your people and
to do this it is essential to visit each centre before opening it„”
2363 Village Librarian ,
The second step for the District Organiser is to ' enlist the
aid , of the District .Educational Officer, the Deputy Inspectors
of Schools, the Tahsilda.rs, the' Presidents of the Village Pan-
chayats, , the Co-operative Societies and the others, interested
in Rural Reconstruction Work. With their aid^ and by per-
sonal investigation, he should select the most suitable person
as the local librarian Tor each centre. The village teacher, or
the village munsif or the village accountant—whoever is most
popular in the village — should be selected for the task. By
example and precept, the chosen representative should be
helped to work up the necessary enthusiasm. This inspiring
of the local librarians is an all-important part of o,rgariisation.
For this task we want an organiser, above all things keenly
enthusiastic himself — a personality of more than ordinary
tact, patience and capacity for .hard work. , It often, happens
that there is a deadly faction in the village. It is advisable, in
such cases, to have one local representative for each faction.
2364 Library Publicity
The next step is to advertise, . the library idea intensively
throughout the area. The vernacular newspapers of the district
should be asked to announce the facilities offered by the Dis-
trict Library as prominently and as frequently as possible.
Attractive handbills should be widely distributed in as many
ways as possible. First-class posters, with charming colours
and catching legends, should be distributed profusely. A
picture of the lovely poster, designed by the Carnegie United
Kingdom Trust for use by the County-libraries of Great
Britain represents "a torch of learning on enamelled iron, 17
inches by 13, with a red cartouche bearing in white lettering
112
, S..E CO'nD , 'L A W .a N;D ' l.T s struggle 2365
the words, :CouNTY Library.”^^- Local festivals and fairs should
be visited "and an intensive campaign of propaganda should
be launched on such occasions with the co-operation of zeal-
^ous honorary workers.. Look at this account of an American
Fair: ^All, over an' American Fair were found notices *'Come
and hear our travel bo'ok-ta Ik in the library stall at 3-0 P.M.,
this; afternoon.’ And a considerable number did' come..”'"’ it
requires enormous work to carry the gospel of the Second
Law into every village and hamlet and to drill the national
importance of the work of the District Library Into the minds
of the country-folk.
2365 Choice of Books
Last but not least, a variety of well-built, well-written,
well-illustrated books should be promptly and regulary served.
Both recreative and informational books should be sent.
Some of the informational books should have a bearing on
local industries and interests. The experience of the local
librarian of a village in Cambridgeshire is worth quoting.
‘‘ Books bearing on local industries— agriculture and horti-
culture—are eagerly looked for, and in this connection I
would refer to a method we have occasionally to adopt. We
frequently get a book which we know will be useful to certain
persons who have never made use of the library. In such a
case we send the book to the probable reader with a message
suggesting he would glance at it and, if he is interested, keep
it for a week or two. In this way we have circulated several
technical books which would otherwise never have been read.
The difficulty in one such case was to get the book again ;
the borrower had found it so useful in his daily work that he
could not do without it. I have no doubt in my own mind
that this gentleman is richer by many pounds already as a
result of what he has learnt about fruit-packing, etc., from a
book I sent him at a venture. But we have made another
friend and created another reader. I am beginning to believe
that many farmers and gardeners do not realise that there are
books in existence which deal exclusively with their interests
113
2365
FIVE LAWS o r . X J: B R A m Y S C F E K C E
and difficulties and it is our Job to correct this/'iiotioii.^
2366 Choice of Extension Materials ' ■
The circulation of lantern slides should be made part of the
work of the District Library. In some districts,:! have seen,
several lanterns, distributed by the District Board, simply
rusting for want of slides. Not infrequently parts are broken
and the gas jet is clogged with rust. In one place the lens was.
so hopelessly coated with oily dirt that, even after lialf-aii-
hour's cleaning, it could not be restored to its usual .
parency. With no lack of co-ordination whatever, several
lanterns are to be found in' one and the same centre — one
with the health-inspector, one with the school-inspector and
another with the local school— 'but 'none in order and none/
with slides. The District Library can- eliminate this wasteful
duplication and, what is more important, circulate slides
periodically. It may send round also gramophone records and
picture collections. There .are great possibilities again for
educational work through travelling cinematograph shows,
which may exhibit pictures to awaken interest in other count-
ries,' in nature, in manufactures, in industries, in' marketing .
methods and in civic hygiene. It is good to enlist sympathy , by ■
first showing films based on the Ramayana, Mahabharata,
Sakuntala and so on and alternate them with more utilitarian
and informational films. In the initial stages, when the printed:
word can only be heard when read to by others and cannot ' ■
be read by themselves by the vast body of illiterates, this side
of a District Library Service, will be not only essential but wilt’
also be a good incentive to- make the villagers long for and
submit to the rapid liquidation of their illiteracy which, again,
should be one of the tran-sitory . features of thQ activities of
of our District Libraries for some little time.
237 District Central Library
It may be convenient to have the central repository of the
District Library at the headquarters of the District. It should
be designed to facilitate the work as much as possible, A
114
SEGvOND XAWv'AND ITS .STRUGGLE 2372
Stack-room, a ,, packing-room and, an- office-room will suffice.
At the beginning,: one. or tw.o convenient /and consecutive
rooms in the, ground-floor of the District , Board Office may
be sufficient. • The sta.ff must grow with the scheme. But, from
the very beginning, there must be a minimum' of one reliable
assistant to do the routine' 'work, which ■ wo'iiid: otherwise
occupy too miich of the time which the librarian sho'uld spend
O'li organisation. As the librarian will have to be constantly
ill the interior of the ' District, the assistant should , be com-
pete,-iit to be in charge on such occasions.
2371 Transport of Books
The transport will vary ..with, the local conditions of the
district. '' A. district .like Tanjore can exchange' boxes of .books
q'uite easily,, with the aid of its. net-work of railways and bus-
lines. In a district like.'Kurnool, the aid of bullock-carts and
carriers may have' to be invoked. But. it may not happen for
any 'District Librarian '‘ to travel two days on rniile taking
another' .ni'iile,. to, carry the .books, like one, .of o'lir fellow lib-
rarians across the water,” as pictured by Col. .Mitchell*'’ Ah
ideal method of transport .is that of the library-van. ,I.t may
'be fitted 'with shelves to .carry about a thousand volumes,, from
which the ' vilkigers and village-librarians 'may make their
selection o,n returning the volumes which have been read. The
librarian may himself drive or accompany the, va.ii in its ramble
th.roiigh the district. It will also advertise the District Library
Scheme in a very effective way. This is an economical form of
transport and will eliminate the travelling charges of the libra-
rian. The van may visit each centre once in three months.
2372 Local Centre
The local centres at' which the exchange is to be effected
may be any convenient places such as schools, temples, muits,
post offices, stores or homes. The book-van-day is a gala day
in these villages. The moment the librarian drives the van in,
a swarm of men, women and children surround the van and
In a moment most of its books are pulled out of the shelves..
115
:":238:': ■ s CfnucB'\
238 Initial Resistance
' : . ' At the; beginning, the .District Librarian' must be; prepared
;.to^ meet, .in the villages, with an atmosphere absolutely hostile
and' 'Suspicious.' The reasons for the Tnitial suspicion can,
' however, be easily traced. The poor-paid village teacher, on
' whom . the . actual work, would probably descend, may be al-
ready 'doing more than a fair share of honorary work and he
m.ay not welcome any additional work. The village munsif may
■.'have been a munsif for several years. He may have developed
deep-rooted ■ scorn for such modern ' innovations, and' hence
lack that youth and enthusiasm which are essential for rural
reconstruction to-day.' A third factor, more difficult of per-
suasion, 'may be the large land-owner of the village, who views
■ with suspicion and distrust -all attempts at increased edu-
cational facilities which may enable the ryots of the country-
side to think for themselves. All these elements of hostility—
the teacher overburdened with unpaid work, the munsif who
has lost ' the fire of youth, and the obscurantist Mirasidar—
will strain the tact and the enthusiasm of the District Orga-
niser to the utmost. Yet with patience and understanding of
local conditions, these obstacles should not prove insurmount-
able.
2381 After the Ice is Broken
OncC' these , first prejudices are ■ overcome ' and the ice ■ is.
broken, the progress will be smooth and automatic. At any
rate, that has been the experience elsewhere. Here are some
reported cases, demonstrating the tremendous reading-potenti-
alities of villagers which only await the necessary facilities to
burst forth into a kinetic form.
2382 Example 1
The librarian of the County of Surrey reports One comes
across a young housemaid who enjoys Katherine Mansfield’s
The Garden Party more than any book she has ever read, be-
cause, she likes the way she writes.” Or it may be a bus-
conductress with as pretty a taste in Literature as any English
116
.V ,S,e:C O N'0': lA Wv^ I TS'. S T RUG a LE: . v' ; 2385:
HonoLiTs student I ever coached. Then there are boys, 'who
■have just.Ie.,ft school .at that adolescent age' when combined
lack, of,e'inpioyme,nt and cessation of formal education make
such a scar across our social fabric. In one of , my branches, I
am told of several youths— a telegraph boy, a railway porter,
a delivery boy and a grocer’s assistant — who every time; the
library is , open make straight for the shelf containing the
books on natural history, hobbies, mechanics and , science.’’^^
2383 Example 2
The village-librarian of Sohan,. Cambridgeshire, reports,
“There is a certain demand for books on domestic subjects
by young married women who are anxious to improve on
older methods.”®® The same librarian, speaking about the
juveniles of her village, remarks, “Their tastes are more
catholic and they generally examine the non-fiction side of
the library, and are learning to browse among books. Books
on inventions, hobbies and natural history fascinate them
and for this reason one would have these books more profu-
sely illustrated.” Within two years of its existence the
county-library of Cambridgeshire has disclosed varied read-
ing interests.
2384 Example 3
The librarian of Cottenham, another village of the same
county, i-ecords, “ There is the shoemaker who refuses every-
thing but history and historical novels, who cannot believe
that people exist in Wake’s own Country who have not read
Kingsley’s Hereward; and the fruit-grower who insists on
books on astronomy.”
2385 Example 4
Another county-librarian makes mention of a gardener
devouring every book on Egypt which the village-ubrarian
could procure for him and of a railway guard reading Soven
Hedin’s books of travel. . ■
117
:;,'2386, 0:F -xibrar y'/ecience , ,
2386 Example 5
The cheer that the travelling library i$' bringing to the deni-
zens of dreary villages is illustmted by a received by
the County-librarian of' Kent ' from a villager who lives '
eight and a half miles from ■ a town and had ' been supplied
with books to help her in her study of FreiiGh literature^’ the
note ending with “ ever so grateful to you for help in , con-
structing a happy .little world for me.”' Again 'we are told
.'"^The parish' of Esclusham Below in the Denbigshire which
has a populatio,!! of about 1,900 scattered over several mining
hamlets, which '■ has converted- 263 ' of ■ them into constant
readers, ' issues' about 7,000 volumes a year; and the local lib-
rarian cheerfully reports, ‘‘The Parish Co'imcii .Members' are
jubilant over the progress made and will go to any length to
ensure its future success.”
2387 Example 6
We cannot end this section more appropriately than by^*
quoting the fervent wish for the progress of the Second Law
of Library Science into the midst of peasants, uttered by the
Dean of the New York State College of Agriculture. “It should
scarcely be necessary to say that the educational system within
a county is not complete until there exists one or more good
libraries serving the entire population. For most rural coun-
ties, the county-library seems to be the answer. Until farm
children and adults alike have convenient and regular access
to book-collections suited to their varied tastes and needs, our
national happiness and progress will fail short of their possi-
bilities. The time is here when there should be a nation-wide
movenient to establish and bring into active use the library
facilities accessible to all farm-homes.”
24 The Normal and the Abnormal
The next antithesis to be considered~the Normal and the
Abnormal — is of a more complex nature. There are abnor-
malities of all kinds. There is the temporarily abnormal sick
in the hospital. There is the removable abnormality of illi-
118
Ml
r:^ {SE'^C'OND LAW''.AND JTS ..STRUGGLE
'teracy... We havet' he reciaimable-' abnormal , in, the prisoner
beliiiid the ba.rs, while the blind and the deaf and, dimib form
t.lie classes that are commonly described .as abiiormaL The ail
in ^ Books for All ’ embraces every one- of them. The Second
Law knows., no except.io'n. U can -'have no rest until it has
arranged for the supply to EveryOne, Normal or Abnormal,
His OR Her Book.
.241 A Round Table
Tke Paii'eni : Ah! this endless confinement to bed! Those'
endless eternal'—blank— white walls!' How I wish I
• could run. away !
The Psychologisi : .Soft, my friend, soft. Don’t work yourself
. up into that mood. It -wi.!! do you har,m.
Our friend has just come to discuss 'with us the ways
and means to remove that tedium.
TheSeamd Law : Cheer up,; Sir, . T have brought with me a
trolly full of books. You will soon see it wheeled from
ward to ward and bed to bed.
The Patient : I can’t stand the rattle of the trolly.
The Psychologist: (Aside to Second Law.) Poor old fellow !
Worn-out nerves! The slightest scratch upsets him.
The Second Law: Don’t be afraid. My trolly is noiseless,
being specially built for hospital use. A blind man
cannot know that it is moving.
The Biimi Man : - Ohl—You don-’t know how sharp our ears are.
The Second Law : Even so, I am certain, you can’t hear it.
The Patient : So thoughtful of you. I am sorry for my temper.
What books have you brought for us?
The Second Law: Beautiful picture books, charming Art»
journals, entertaining iiovels, '-inspiring poetry, a few
hymns, TiMts and —
The Patient: Ye— es. Your choice is wide enough. But, you
have left me out.
The Second Law : How ?
The Patient : You see, I have been a Professor all my life. I
care for no reading which is not heavy.
119
241 FIVE LAWS OF -LvIBRA-RY SCIEN/CE
The Second Law: I would have no objection to give you what
you want, but remember one danger. Suppose your ill-
ness takes a bad turn — God forbid — then., the Doctor
will throw all the blame on the stiif books l supplied,;
and, who knows, perhaps even cancel my visitor’s
pass!
The Psychologist : You needn’t have that fear any, longer.
Perhaps you don’t know that.l am here full-timed.
Send all kinds of books. I shall take care to give Each
Patient his Book-— I mean, what he can enjoy without
detriment . to his health. At any rate, I shall assume
the responsibility and see that the Doctor does not
throw the blame on you.
The Second Law: I am ever so- grateful. What can I send-you^'
Professor ? : .
The Patient: Some Croce in Italian, if you please.......
It is so kind of you to think of us, unfortunates.
I am tired ; I can ’t sit up any longer. May I, with
your permission, retire !
The Psychologist : Yes, certainly.
Attenderl the wheeled chair.
The Second Law : PwfQssoT, my messsage on from bed
to bed. When my librarian goes round with the book-
trolly, each patient can tell him his requirement. Now
that the Psychologist is here, I can send down any-
thing they ask for.
The Patient : Thank you, God bless you. Good-bye, for the
present.
The Mother of the Dumb: Fancy the old man’s wish to grind
his Italian even in bed.
The Illiterate : What is that Groce, Madam ?
The Blind Man: Oh ! You don’t know that ! It is Croce, not
Groce. Croce is one of the greatest living philosophers.
He is an Italian, and naturally he writes in Italian.
The Psychologist: I am also in charge of the local jail, — i
mean, as a Psychologist, I have also to attend on the
prisoners.
120
241
;s:e:COnd. .xaw, .and -irs st r,ugg.le
■ The \. Second Law : , But, what can I do ? It - was, ' only the;. other
. ' day that I sent my Librarian round with, the book- van.
That old Jailor there. was .hard as flint.^ He growled, it
; ■ ; . ;',:appears,, ‘‘‘ What ! Books for damned murderers:!'^ It
" .seems .he even insulted my Librarian saying, ‘Mf you
: ' don’t have a ^ more decent way of earning your breads
take the earliest opportunity to break into a house, and
I shall have a chance to give you some work
T/?e Ji2//or : What ? When was it ?
The Second Law : Some months back, I think.
The Jailor : Thank God ! It was not I !
The ■ Psychologist : All that is now an old story. That old
jaiior has now been retired. You do not seem to know
how the recent reforms have humanised everything.
That old biting sort of jailor is gone. They are now
recruiting men of culture — men with sympathy, men
who want to reclaim the criminals rather than keep
them eternally in chains. That is why they want me
there.
The Jailor: I assure you. Madam, that you will ever have
my heartiest co-operation in your philanthropic mis-
sion. On behalf of my predecessor, I tender you and
your librarian, my most sincere apologies.
The Second Law : Thank you. Sir, but I am so glad to hear
of this change. I am most happy. One difficult pro-
blem that I had set for this conference is thus already
solved.
The Psychologist : Have you with you the list of books you
sent the other day ?
The Second Law : Here it is.
The Psychologist : It is ail right, so far — as — it— goes ... But
you s^em to have entirely forgotten the political
prisoners.
They would like to have more serious books —
Economics, Politics, Metaphysics, Sociology, and so on.
The Second Law: Will they allow such books inside the
prison ?
121
L, s.— 8
241
FIVE LAWS OF LIBR A R^Y. S CIEN^CE ' ^ ^
The Psychologist : Certainly, why not ? .
After all, it is with the 'greatest reluctance that the
Government consigns these men of culture to ■ prison.'
It is more to vindicate the Majesty of ■ Law^, than to
; deprive them of their liberty. Sunday-players and Sail-
law-breakers are usually - the tallest inteliectuals of a
. connmunity. They go to prison only for technical offen-
/ cesl and the Government too is anxious that such men
■should be allowed a good supply of books and perio-
dicals, lest their forced inaction should end i'li morbid
melancholy.
The Jailor : Yqs, That is the correct policy. T shall post you
this night a list of their requirements. ■ ■
The Second Law: L shall take it on "hand immediately it
arrives and see that the books reach you by noon,
to-morrow.
But our service cannot be at its best, unless we get
into personal touch with our readers.
The Jailor: That is easily done. I shall put your Librarian on
our weekly visitor’s list. Will that do ?
The Second Law : Ideal.
The MUndman : Ladies and gentlemen, I am glad you do all
that for those who are shut in prisons. What aboutus
who are shut in perpetual darkness ? I hear that the
last census revealed that we are no less than 479,637
in number.
The Second Law : Indeed, that is my next point for discussion.
I am aware that fifteen persons in every ten thousand
are blind in your country.
But, I have books for you also.
The Jailor: What? Can the blind read?
The Second Law: Yes, the Braille-books. The blind can read
them with the tips of their fingers.
The Jailor: It ’s news to me. Do they look like real books?
The Second Law: Yes, only they are very bulky. The Bible
forms 38 volumes measuring 10 inches by 13^- inches
by 2 ; while a novel by Scott or Dickens makes from 8
122
241
:■ : S E € O N:0. ' E A ,W .■ A H D ; I T S STRUGGLE
to., 10; Yoliirnes of like- dimension Further they are
.very. , heavy.. Each Braille-volume weighs 5 Still*
' as . the blind caiinot , go .to the library, they are usually
sent' by - post and the post uffice charges only a nomina!
-yrate.''
The 'Iiiitemte Are the letters simple ? Can we learn them ?
The Psychologist : Why should you go to that. You have your
sight and you can learn the ordinary script.'
The Braille-books are not written in the usual script.
' The letters are made of raLsed points arranged in ac-
cordance with a code.
The Jailor: When was it invented ? •
The Second Law: Long ago. Nearly, a century ago,. In fact
the first book for -the blind produced in the United
Kingdom was in 1 827. -The first complete edition of
the Bible in .Braille was produced in 1890.“^’
The blind man : What I a century back I Where can we get
; them ?
The Second Law Most of the -countries. have now. establisli-
' ed a National Library for the Blind. England had it
founded as early as '1882.^'^^ America had . it. shortly
therea.fter. Germany, in 1894 ^'^*^ and—
The blind man : What about us here ? . .
The Second. Law : The movement is spreading. It had recent-
ly come to China and it' may reach here at no distant
.date,. ■ - . ■
The blind, man : Till, then ? ■ ■
The Second Law : England and America will gladly serve you.
The blind man : Have they enough volumes ?
The Second Law: Oh, yes. In England alone, the stock
exceeds 100,000 volumes.
The Jailor : A hundred thousand volumes for the blind !
The Psychologist : Books are- ■ the main solace, you know,
which those afflicted with' blindness possess.
The Jailor : Are they popular? ■
The Second Law: Yes. The borrowers of the British library
for the blind exceed 10,000, while the annual issue has
123
24!
:fi,v,e ..laws of: .library' science.
gone^ beyond, 50 ,000. It was only the, other day, that
: the Q.ueen gave away prizes to' the blind chiMren who-
used the libraries most effectively.
The lUiterate : What kind of things do they read?
The Psychologist : All kinds of things of course. The, require-
ments of the blind do not differ materially from, those
of others. The sta,ndard of intelligence is as high, and
certahv of the faculties are not infrequently ■ mo.re
highly developed. .
The blind man :. Why, we have one among us here who is an
expert in watch and clock repair. ' He is now having a
roaring business and his sighted competitors use their
eyes to gaze at his success, in wonder and envy.
The Second Law: There are now several blind boys who
appear for University examinations and get their
degrees.
The lUiterate : Then, we are worse than the blind.
The Blind man : Yes, as the Lord said, "'• Having eyes, see
ye not.’'
The Second Law : You can easily help yourself.
The Illiterate : But, I can’t read.
The Second Law: If you go to the library, you can have
books read to you. There are readers specially
appointed for the purpose.
The Psychologist : And, in the meantime you can learn to
read and write.
The lUiterate : f should love to. But can I ?
The Psychologist : The library has a club for the liquidation
of illiteracy. Have yourself enrolled in it and in six
months you can yourself read without help.
The lUiterate : May 1 bring my wife with me?
She too would like to learn.
The Jailor: Yes. Your granny too !
The mother of the dumb : Now, what about my child. He is
deaf and dumb.
The Second Law : He is no special problem for me, provided
he can read and write,
124
The. mother He cannot, that is^my. trouble.
The Seeoml .Law: Then- send him' first to my sister, “ Educa-
. TiON 'FOR All.”' She will readily equip him with the
, power to read and write. Perhaps our. friend, .the Psy-
V chologist, may, be able to give you more information.
The Psychologist : It ' is now quite easy to teach ■ the deaf and;
dumb. I shall arrange for it.
The mother of the dumb : After he learns, can you give him
. books?' .
The' Second Law: With great pleasure. I am. here for that. ■
The mother of the dumb : .Have you ever come across deaf and
dumb readers?
The Second Law : Any number. Here is one of the latest
reports to hand.^^'^ “ Across the desk of one reader’s
adviser a young girl passed a slip of paper. Upon it
were written the words
“ I only went through the fifth grade. Can you tell
me some books to help me upwards.”
The girl was deaf and dumb. She sat down beside
the adviser at her desk and they wrote their messages
to each other on a large sheet of paper.
“ How old are you?” wrote the adviser.
“ Nineteen,” she wrote in her turn, “ I am a folder
in a laundry. 1 like poetry, but J also want to know
so.me facts.
The girl returned again and again for more books,
encouraged by the knowledge that she could learn
through her own ability to read,”
The mother of the dumb : Sweet girl ! 1 wish my son could
have that solace, granted him.
'The Second Law : The very'p.urpose.of..my existence is to give
it to him.
m
¥ : h.AWS: SCIE'NCE : ;
' ^ Library Choriis
\ v Aliasing Je a, . clioim* ^
^TJier^^
. Let not the mean .
Or :leariied dean ■
■ Restrict the books"
T ’ a favoured few.
We’ve Books for all.
Books .for the rieh
And Books, for. the poor
Books for the jna.ii
And Books for the dame. ■
Books for the sick
And Books for the fit
.Books for the blind
And Books for the dumb.
Books for the bungler '
And Books for the wrangler
' Books for the burgher
And Books for the cotter.
Books for the lettered ■ ■■
And Books for the fettered
We ’ve Books for all
For one and all.
A stranger slips in singing :
Books for all ; yes. Books for all
If and only if you add
Books for the land
And Books for the sea.
The Jailor : May I know, sir, to whom I am speaking ?
The Stranger: ! am an ordinary sailor, sir. My vessel touched.
126
26
: :sEe;ci,N;0 i-ts- ,strxj gg le
this port last night. As I was strolling along the street,
your chorus caught my ear. The porter told me that
you were having a Books-for-the-Abnormal-Roiiiid-,
Table, and the old man was kind enough to let me in.
The Jailor: I am sorry, you are too late. We are just break-
: '.ing'iip. ■
The Sailor : Did our claim engage your attention at all, sir?
: We are the most abnormal people on earth, spend-
ing all our days on water, floating from end to end of
' this vast world.
The Second Law: I am taking it up as a question by itself.
You may rest assured that you won’t be forgotten,
26 Tlie Land and the Sea
While, the antitheses between the rich and the poor, the
male and the female, the town and the country, and the nor-
mal and the abnormal, have been, from- the beginning, .enga-
ging public attention with varying results, the antithesis
between the land and the sea seems to have, for long, suffer-
ed, neglect because -‘Out of sight’s out of mincL’ The 'sea-
faring people spend most of their t.ime away from their home
and their requirements and handicaps are seldom '.realised by
those that lead a settled life on land. Nevertheless, even in
India, wliicli is., not very prominent in her maritime activities
and enterprises, as many as 600,000 persons spend. .m.G.re
time on water than on land. Even if their case is brought tO'
our mind, the problem of giving Every Man at Sea His
B(jok bristles with difficulties. In the words of the Executive
Committee of the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust, con-
ditions inseparable from life at sea combine in creating
obstacles to an organised service. The impracticability of
financial support from local rates ; the constant changes except
in large companies, in ships’ crews; uncertainties in the
moveinenis of tramp ships; the need for exchange facilities
in many of the principal ports of the world— all these factors
contribute to the difficulty of the problem.”'*^ Still the
Second Law of Library Science insists that such difliculties
127
26:
.FIV:E „L;AW,S ' OF.: LIBRARY "SCIENC.E
are : aot.,;insiirmountable,: should" be solved., ,Ib 'Xesponse
to ils. insisteiice, England founded, in 1919,. the, Sea,farers"'
Education Service, which attempts to supply ships with books
on an 'ambitious scale,; as regards both organisation and
choice of bookS' ... In May of that year the World Association
for Adult Education called together representatives of the
owners and maritime trade unions, and the mission societies,
A permanent commission was thereupon appointed to under-
take the work of providing libraries as part of a complete
educational scheme for seafarers’.’
261 Reading OF THE Crew
Experience soon showed that seafarers would read the best
books and would treat them with respect. On long voyages
especially, most of the books get into use and it is estimated
that nearly 75 per cent of the crew take to reading, while
hardly 10 per cent of those on land are inclined to do so. At
the end of 1928, the total number of ships thus served was
1276..
262 Finance for Seafarer’s Library
The problem of putting the supply of books to seafarers
on a proper financial basis has been fully discussed by the
Public Libraries Committee.^^^ It starts with the message of
..the Second Law ' Books for All, Whether on Land or on
Water’ — the seafarers have no less right than their com-
patriots on land to a service of books paid for out of public
funds. The only question -is whether the responsibility for
meeting their needs should be met by the State exclusively,
by co-operation between the State and the local bodies of the
port-towns, or by the latter alone. The members of the Com-
mittee do not regard the last alternative either as reasonable
or as practicable. Nor would they recommend that the State
should be saddled with the entire responsibility. On the other
hand, they would suggest that the task should be divided
evenly between the shipping companies, the seafarers them-
selves, the library authorities of the seaports and the State.
128
263
SECOND LAW AND'. ITS S'TRU.GGCE
The Co'inmitteeTiiakes the foiiowing analysis of, the library
income of the Seafarers’ Education Society ' during , the, first
fi,¥eyears:—
Shipping Co.mpanies
... 6,899
The Chamber of Shipping
500
The Maritime Trade 'Unions ...
590
The Carnegie United Kingdom Trust
... 2,385
Sundry bodies and individuals
390
.Sa,le of literature, etc. ■
84
10,848
This analysis discloses the significant absence of the State
and the Local Bodies. The Committee would invite their
attention to the call of the Second Law and urge them to put
in their quota, not necessarily as money, but perhaps better as
books, the books on the shelves of the Central Library of
the State and the books on the shelves of the Municipal
Libraries of the ports'.
263 Light-House Keeper
The keepers of light-houses stand in need of books no less
than the sailors themselves. The fate of most, of the men con-
fined in the solitude of light-houses is as hard as that of
Robinson Crusoe in his desert-island. Or perhaps worse.
V/hile Robinson Crusoe had the freedom to wander about,
even that freedom is denied to them. While the fate of the
ships and their passengers as well as the prosperity of
the merchants on land depend on their vigilant and selfiess
services, it is but reasonable that the call of the Second Law
on their behalf should be heard with the greatest willingness.
While shore light-houses may be served by the District Lib-
raries or the Municipal Libraries, as the case may be, there
should be a special central organisation for catering to the
needs of isolated rock light-houses and light-ships. The total
129
■^'263
FIVE' .LAWS OF 'LIBRARY .SG.|EN CE:' ,
number , of light-hoiises and light-ships that are.' thus regularly
served, with;. books in Great Britain and .Ireland .is nearly 300.
27 Tie Adult and tie Chili
But the struggle of the Second .Law. takes the most puzzling
phase when it haS' to negotiate the antithesis between the-
adult and the child. It has been, for long, held by all' — and it
:'is even now being held by some — that the child has no right
to any books other than text-books and that it is only n ’ver-
do-welFs that will ‘" waste time in extra-reading.’’ On the
other hand, it has been' — and by some even is-—at the same
time believed that one who has completed formal schooling
has already made the closest possible approach to the omni-
science that books can supply. One has only to witness, from
the Cauvery Bridge at Kumbakonam, the surface oi‘ the
Cauvery water bestrewn and bedecked v/ith the printed pages
of torn books, cast away by the candidates coming out of the
Coliege-Hall, after the last of the University Examinations.
This casting off is meant by many as a ceremony to symbolise
that they have passed the stage of books.
271 Perpetual Education
This belief that the educated adult does not need books any
longer can really be traced to what may be called "the Camel
Theory’ of education — that before we start on the journey of
life we can be given all the mental food necessary to carry us
through the whole way. It does not recognise that maturity
has its educational aptitudes, aspirations and urgencies. But
this theory, that education has primarily to do only with the
training of children, has, however, little basis in psychology
and gets little support from practical experience. Of course,
children must be educated. But an educational system, that
does not recognise the perpetual need of the adult for the tools
of education,* is a mere futility. In any dynamic democracy,
that is constantly evolving newer and better order of things,
the definite task of Public Education is that of constantly
educating the adults to participate intelligently in. this new
130
272'
S:EC'OND LAW 'ANB ITS STRUGGLE
order of /•life. Adults must first learn how to live ..the new
order before they can teach it. It is the unfortunate neglect of
this factor that has led to the clock of our- eduGatioiial'ciirri-..
.culum' being blindly, but harmfully, set back every now and.
.then, at the .instance of powerful politicians, who. insist on
having their fingers in every pie, but who, in the plenitude of
their ignorance, would know of no curriculum other ' than
what , they were themselves drilled through, in their own far-
off boyhood. Out of the practice of living must come the
understanding that can translate this kind of living into edu-
cation fot'' the children.. Hence,, even though a man has as
many degrees as a thermometer, even though he be graduated
with the highest honours, he is grossly .uneducated, or will
soon become so, if he stops his reading and lets his brain grow
rusty from the day of his convocation onwards. Education
really begins at the cradle and ends only at the grave. All the
educated adults are therefore comprehended in the " All ’ in
" Books for All2
272 Services TO Alumni
Persuading the graduate adult to submit himself to the
sway of the Second Law is only one side of this phase of the
struggle. The Second Law has an equally up-Mll task to do,
to convince the University that her interest in the education
of her aiumni should not end on the day she confers her
degrees on them. Although she has no right to force on them
any more of formal teaching, the duty of continuing to edu-
cate her alumni through the books of her library is cast on
her. One of the achievements of the Second Law of Library
Science is the driving home of this new duty, in which pro-
gressive Universities and their libraries are beginning to take
an increasing part. The Second Law would even offer a threat
to the University saying, ""'You cannot retain the interest and
the loyalty of your graduates, unless you strengthen this new
service to them through your books. There must be this
higher intellectual bond. Nay, viewed from the national point
of view — and a'fter all it is the. National Exchequer that main-
131
272 FIVE laws' of:: LIBRARY SCIENCE;
tains you—snch service to alumni is essential, j'f :the moiiey
spent on under-graduate education is not to be thrown, away
for lack of proper follow-up work; after graduation/’
273 Re-Orientation OF Instruction
This brings us to the new orientation which the Second
law has brought about in the methods of instruction. It te;lis
the Universities, ‘‘ The best ,thing that you can do for your raw
under-graduate is to awaken in him a zest for thinking and
the habit of reading. Remember, education does not end in
your class-room. I have to begin where you leave.. It is easier
forme to keep the reading undergraduates reading, than to
catch them when they are men and women and start them
afresh to read. In return, ! have no objection to your relying
upon me, more fully in your class-room teaching; indeed, I
am quite prepared to be by your side in your daily task and
take the undergraduate by hand and walk alone with him
when he leaves you behind.” Similarly it tells the schools,
“The hope of the future lies in the children of to-day.
Remember that a large proportion of children walk straight
from your care to mine. There is no University for them.
Hence, it is imperative, that you should give them the widest
opportunity in your school-library to form the correct reading-
habit. You know that the child, who forms a deep love of
reading in the school, is more likely to continue that reading-
habit in after-life. Hence, reinforce the library-work at school
so that I can reinforce the library-work of the future.” In its
attempt to scale over the perplexing antithesis between the
adult and the child, such is the reconciliation and understand-
ing that the Second Law is achieving between the old and the
new instruments of education, v/z., the Schools and Colleges,
on the one hand, and the Library on the other,
28 Unlimited Democracy
Thus the struggle of the Second Law of Library Science was
largely due to the unlimited democracy and the unive^’sality
of its appeal. The vagaries of Nature may militate against
132
Ml
S E C O N D : L A W ■ A ND I T S S T R U G:g',.L E,.
the rule of democracy in many' 'spheres of lifev No political
or ethical creed can equalise the differences. of physique, tem-
perament and intelligence any. more than the differences in
height or colour. But, the Law Books for All,” has proved
to be more than a match to the .mischievous: whims of Nature.
She may blind the eyes of some; she may tie up the tongues of
others; she may cast the lot of still others in solitude ; she'
may subject' tliemajonty to the .grind of poverty.. And yet, the
Second Law would treat them all alike and give to Each His
OR Her Book. It would scrupulously maiiitaiii the principle
of equality of opportunity .for books,. of opportunity to learn,
and of opportunity, to "enjoy. It ' will not rest until it has
gathered up one a:'nd''all‘~'the-'.rie^ the men and
the women, the land-men and the -.seafarers, the young and the
old, the deaf and the dumb, 'the literate and the illiterate — one
and all, from all the corners "of the earth until it had led them,
iiiio the temple of learning.- and "until it has secured for them
that salvation \vhicli flows ; from" ^he^'w^ of Sarasvati, the
Goddess of Learning...
- ■ 281 Sambandhar .E:piso0e. \
, .For a, "parallel to this, universal sweep: of. i'lie Second Law
one has to go to Sambandhar 'and the 7th' century Shiyali,'
ills birth place, still treasures the memory of his last act. On
the day lie was married in the neighbouring village of Achaf
piiram, while he walked round the Temple with his newly-
wedded spouse, seeing the gates of heaven open suddenly, he
first gathered together his parents and kinsmen, his friends
and visitors, his servants and retinae— and not only these but
ail the residents of the place, all the men of all the religions,
whether moving with the crowd or not, whether blind or lame,
whether young or old, whether willing or unwilling— he
gathered one and all, first made them pass into the gates of
heaven, and himself entered last with his beloved wife and be-
came At-One^ with the One, in company with all the others.
This last act of Sambandhar would, in its expression of uni-
versal brotherhood, serve as' a symbol of the Second Law of
133
■281^^. V."' X AWS OF -XIBRARY ' ■SeTE:N'C.E '
■' t
Library Science. This last act of Sambandhar is described in
detail by/Sekkilar, a famous biographer of the Tamil country
in the twelfth century.
#/f Qu(§(§ iso fBd<S IT 01 (§ (IP (J^cS IT (^^Q) Q^ffWi^fT
^if Qmdpoi ^SiiU!T0sB(§'^ajir mihufrsmurri § f'^Cosir/r#
r/r# 0(^QmiiJU Qu(§ujutrss5r!r LDjbQp^(oiufrir
uirir a ^ipu ums5flmQmfr(^i-.m
^mf}(y:s^0m (zp^sb sf ssifl ^ fr (ii Q Q\ifmrjr^!r<S6w
LDsmf}'(yy^^ mirSso wLsyfrir lomBsrrm Qu(§(^ih
usmf) (yyp^ih €TQ^^frif<£6t ui<3FmjBJ.sssh‘ sBcbjruuirf9^ ih .
sB &.mr!r sBmiririu^ Q0fr(^^iL.sk
^■£iimss>sS^ <3Fu:iiij^0i^ <jy0i^6)i0d) ^ii^.iusu(§ih
6h.^LLmfD (p&sf!QJ!rs(^ih {^ihiSlusum^ Sf ^ fr cji} ib .
0(§ SI (gerfJ^sb s^® Qujt) sum^frcgih
■fFjSl^ Qucgil) (ScFff 0uSg)isiT ST^sOfr(gLh -^■ssjDiSldr
ff ^ q51 s?s> lu i siD <s Lj u jf) d Q6^!rsm(gi ojsc-ihQdsirsmQ
0^ Sj^jbp si/i5^0(^d) 0(g!g^[TSsr&ihL h^ir [si(§^0
fSfrJidr s-fifsb ejsrrif Q^fr0 msmrsnsfl Sj^^C Lit^suihf
Quit^ filSso
134
CHAPTER 3 \ :
' ■ SECOND LAW AND- ITS DIG¥IJA¥A
, . 30 Scope
I n the last chapter, we witnessed the slow- struggle of the
Second Law, from trench to trench and barrier to barrier ; in
this chapter, we shall see the sweeping success of " Books for'
All,’ in its unimpeded Digvijaya or world-conquering expedi-
tion. The ■ last chapter enumerated the varied vested interests
entrenched against the march of the Second Law; the present
chapter will take us round the world in the wake of the, maj-
estic -conquest of the message ‘ Books for All.’ Till now we
witnessed the spread of the- Second Law into the dijBTerent
strata and sections of society^ ; we shall now witness the spread
of Books for All into the different coiitinents and countries
of' the world. Books for the' Chosen few had existed ever-
since books came to be written. But, Books for All is. a new
concept. While libraries have existed from time immemorial,
the *' Library Movement ’ had its origin only within the mem-^
ory of some of our octogenarians. It is not our object, at
present, to trace the history of libraries that were built either
to hoard books or to serve books, at most, for a select few.
Our attempt, on the other hand, will be to make a rapid sur-
vey of the- growth of the modern Library Movement in as
many communities as possible. It is not - with stray individual
libraries, however big, that we shall deal here; but, on the
•other hand, we shall have to deal with libraries in mass — with
the out-burst of myriads of libraries, many of them though
tiny little ones, throbbing with, the life and radiant with the
effulgence due to the possession of the democratic gospel of
the restless Second Law.
31 America
The Second Law of Library Science dropped the seeds of
the Library Movement all through the world. Some fell on|
135
31
S;ECOND':^ AW ::a-N.0, its : DIGVUAYA ,
Stony places, som,e among thorns-',' -and some into' goo^ ground*
But the seeds, that fell on the field of the New World, appear
to have been, the first to sprout. .They seem: to have already
reached the fruiting-stage and appear to have even commeiiced
to scatter fresh seeds, far .and wide. ' As the first gardeners
of this new family of plants,, the Americans have had an op-
portunity of doing not a little pioiieering work.- They have
exercised this ■ unique opportunity wdth unique success. The
energy, the enthusiasm and the resources of the 'New World
came to be placed unreservedly at the disposal of this newly-
sprouting species, the Library 'Movement. New gr.oimds were;
constantly prepared, new tra-nsplanations were^^ frequeiitly
made, new species were ,, boldly .cultured,: new- ola.s,sificatio!is
were carefully ventured, new.-techniques became necessary and
were invented, and new votaries were - easily found in ever-
increasing numbers. A canny^ Scot, who had -.made a moun-
tain of dollars, freely scattered his wealth in the cause of this
Movement. This .'concatenation of circiim.stances is 'by :fa:r the
luckiest that, ; has ....ever occurred. - The ■ res'ult has been that
America has co.me to be rightly regarded .as; the^ land, of lib-
raries. If we; ask the nations-, of ; the., 'world ..what they ' feel,
uppermost .about their .own Library Movement, most-.of; them
begin by saying, We are 'Following the lead of America. We
are adopting American methods.” Hence, it would be proper
for us to commence our study of the Digvijaya of the Second
Law with a brief survey of its exploits in this, the first home
of Library Movement.
31! American Library Association
1876 appears to have made a distinct epoch in the progress
of the Library Movement in America. That was the year in
which the American Library Association was founded.
Speaking at the Fiftieth Conference of that Association under
the caption Seed time and harvest^ Mr. R. R. Bowker, one of
its surviving founders, said, ‘‘ Half a century ago there came
together in New York three young men of ideas and ideals,
brain seed which finds rich harvest in this assemblage, in the
136
302
,,i .xs bigvija ya
Americaii^Libraiy Associatio in. the developnient of the
Modern .American' Library system, .whose methods, this Inter-
national Conference indicates, have found their way around
the world.’’ On October 4, .,18.76,. these, three ; young iheii
secured a gathering of ‘'nmety me.n and thirteen women,’ whO'
formed "‘the American Library Association iii' which
Mr. Melvil Dewey, the first' Secretary, proudly enrolled himself
as No. 1 and to which he gave the 'motto ‘‘.The best reading:
for .the greatest number' at the least cost.” ' At the Second
: Conference :held ' in 1877, the attendance fell ' to sixty-six,
and in a later: one even reached as low as thirty. However,
with the exception of the next two biennial confereiices and
: the gap. iii;, 1894, the American" Library Association has been
holding, conferences 'every year, 'rea..ching the thousand mark
in 1902 and the two thousand mark in 1926. The member-
ship roll which began with 103 names has now swelled to
11,833. Again, in 1850, America had only 644 libraries of
which many were open only to a select few. But to-day there
are n,o less than 6,500 libraries— all of which keep their doors ■
open for all.
302 Library Survey
Can we infer from such astounding figures that the Second
Law has seen the end of its mission in America ? The Ameri-
can Library Association was not- sure of an answer to this-
question and hence, with the aid' of a small grant from the
Carnegie Corporation of New York, 'it engaged, in July 1925,
an experienced special officer to make a survey of the situa-
tion. The definite questions that were put to this special
officer were : —
(1) How many of the people of the United States and
Canada have access to public libraries?
(2) How many are still without public library service and
where do they live ?
(3) How far have public libraries grown since the Ameri-
can Library Association was founded ?
- (4) How far off is the goal of universal library service ?
137
3121 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
3121 Findings
The Second Law was vitally interested in the report of the
special officer. The survey was done with the utmost rapidity
possible and the report of the officer saw the light of day in
July 1926. What were the findings of the survey on the four
fundamental questions? Here is a summary:—
(1) About 64 millions or 56 per cent of the people live in
library areas.
(2) About 50 millions or 44 per cent of the people are
still without public library service and, of these, 3
millions live in towns and the remaining 47 millions
live in rural areas.
(3) Since the American Library Association was founded,
one of its purposes, as set forth in its Charter of
1879, yiz., “Promoting the library interests of the
country . . . by disposing the public mind to the f ound-
ing and improving of libraries,” is being steadily
worked out. About 6,000 new libraries have been
brought into existence. In place of the 2 million volu-
mes, 70 million volumes have come to occupy the
shelves of the public libraries. About 240 millions of
volumes are being issued annually and a sum of about
90 million rupees is being spent per year on public
libraries.
(4) The goal of universal library service has been reached
only half-way. Apart from 44 per cent of the people
being without library service, the existing number of
volumes is entirely inadequate. It gives only six-tenths
of a book per head of population. The number of
volumes issued per year amounts only to 2 per capita
and the amount annually spent on public libraries is
less than a rupee per capita of the whole population
This meagre supply, giving such poor averages, is ail
turned to one half of the population, leaving the other
half in the cold.
138
SECOND LAW AND ITS DIGVIJAYA 3123
3122 Implementation
The Second Law protested that such inadequacy and the
consequent inequality of library opportunity are too undemo-
cratic; and it asked, “The problem of providing public library
service for the 50 million people, now without it, is large
enough to challenge the best thought and effort you are cap-
able of. You had the proud privilege of initiating the Library
Movement in the world. Are you going to suffer that proud
position to be lost?” “No I shall buck up,” said America
and the American Library Association straight away char-
ged its Standing Committee on Library Extension with the
task of making “ an organised effort toward the goal of
adequate public library service within easy reach of every one
in the United States and Canada, &nd directed, it to carry on
this effort ... in the closest co-operation with the League of
Library Commissions, and all other interested agencies,
through any or all of the following or similar methods : —
( 1 ) Field agents for assistance in the establishment of State
library extension agencies, county libraries, and local
libraries and the improvement of existing libraries.
(2) Publicity especially through rural social agencies and
educational medium.
(3) Free and v/ide distribution of publications to encour-
age library development.
(4) Surveys of library conditions and needs, to develop
state-wide or local library programmes.
(5) Study and compilation of library laws, drafting of
model legislation.
(6) Encouragement of demonstrations and experiments,
especially in the State and county fields.
(7) Encouragement of private subsidies as an aid to
library extensions.
(8) Further study of library extension problems.”
3123 Achievement
A brief account of the activities of this Library Extension
Committee in 1929 may give an idea of the earnestness
139
:3!23 L A W S OF . L I B-.It ARY S C l E N /C E
•witii' challenge.. of the'Second Law has.been taken
:„iip. If the a.iii.oti!it appropriated , by the Committee can 'be
taken as.^aii index,, it may be stated' that it was as much as
half ; a .lakh of rupees in addition to several subventions
/granted by-.the Carnegie Corporation. for specific piirpo.ses.. It
held E' conference in 'Chicago and ran a S'umm;er,' Institute in
the .University of Wisconsin, as a refresher course for field
worke.rs. On the side of publicity, it had many popular
/articles .published in' farm journals, ■ like farming.
Frame fanner md Southern planter, in women's magazines
like Farmer's, wife and ■ Women's home companion and in
educational periodicals like, Illinois teacher. School lifemd'
Texas parenPteacher, The total number of pieces of printed
matter distributed free among the people was 75,670, in
addition to considerable mimeographed matter. Six exhibi*
tions were held and several talks were given in group confer-
ences. It helped in the enactment of permissive legislation in
five States and library bills were drafted for five other States.
It secured financial aid from a charitable endowment for
founding fifteen new county libraries and for strengthening
thirteen existing ones.
3124 Application to India
If the original home of the modern Library Movement has
need for such publicity, for so many conferences and for such
an expenditure ‘‘ to dispose the public mind to the founding
and improvement of libraries/' what should be the need for
similar-work in our own country, where the Library Move-
ment is still only a name? Not only have we no Carnegie Cor-
poration at our back, no angel with his Akshayapatra, to give
unending financial help, but, on the other hand, we have the
demon of inertia, which seems to be a clever Kamarupi. This
monster takes as many different shapes as Proteus. It is now
a snob scoffing at library-publicity as vulgar, now a cynic try-
ing to trace all public service to some ulterior personal motive,
and again a misanthrope cursing that no good can ever come
to us; it appears- as .jealousy or as benumbing philosophy.
140
■I
SECOND LAW .'ANd' I TS D IGW IJ AY A "
Such an atmosphere is mot congenial to, the growth' of Library ;
■. Movement. Relief can. come, perhaps, only, from .the. State.
. Gnce 'the prestige of ..State action ■ clears the atmosphere,' the
• Library..' Mo ve.ment' may get..- a chance to properly dispose .tlie.
,' p'uMic min^ and find its further food in the 'natural soil o
■ public opinion. "
313 Mexico
A step to the south ta'kes us to. Mexico. Here,: the seeds of
the Library Movement appear to have, been lying on barren
soil until the Re volution, of 1910 created ■ aspiration s for ■
popular ' culture.. The earlier efforts, made to see that cul-
ture and education might not be the close.' preserve of- the
upper classes, did not however prove effective until a Ministry
of Public Education was created by the Act of April 1917.
This M,}nistry was charged by the President with the task of
bringing about the much needed 'social transformation.”
Accordingly, it attempted, for the first time, to construct a
bridge across the cultural gulf between the classes and the
masses. Before long, it discovered that the only suitable bridge
was that of Public Libraries and established a Department of
Libraries in. Septe.mber 1920. Finding that the majority .of the
■people were i,iliterate, the ministry had to adopt: rapid, methods
for the removal of illi teracy, with the aid of what were known.'
as '' ciiltural missions,’”"' The work of the Department has
been already so successful, that Mexico has now about 1,500
popular libraries, 1,000 school libraries, 800 industrial libraries
and 500 rural libraries. It sent out in 1927 nearly 700,000
volumes to the libraries in the rural areas. The amount ap-
propriated varies according to the condition of the public
treasury. It was nearly Rs. 700,000 in 1923 but only about
Rs. 60,000 in 1927. The number of readers crossed the iiiillion
mark in 1927. The technical section of the Department is
maintaining a union catalogue of the book-resources of the
whole country and runs a bibliographical magazine entitled
El litre j el pueble.
141
3131 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
3131 Difficulties Overcome
The difficulties that, confronted the Ministry of Education
in this mission of ‘social , transformation’ were not a few
‘‘ Mexico is a country' of many races, many climates and many,,
opinions. It is likewise 'a land of castes and social orders ...
Great distances and. slow communications .make it very diffi-
cult to mobilise public opinion ... The inferiority complex- of
the -Indian face to face with, the- European ... hinders the pro-
gress- of natioiiai integration.’’^"® Such a variegated Mexico is
now being integrated by the- Ministry of Education through
the agency of the school and the library. The libraries are
maintained, some by the Federal Government and some by
the .State Governments. Their stock of books aims to satisfy
everybody’s taste and to meet everybody’s needs. .It includes,
not only books of the ordinary educational type, but also
industrial manuals, agricultural hand-books and books on
‘Home-Management,’ in accordance with local requirements.
Lecturers equipped with cinema reels and lantern slides are
sent even to the remotest villages to attract the people to the
libraries. Children’s rooms are opened to induce the reading
habit and love of books, even before habits become rigid,
Thus, Mexico has demonstrated what can be done by a hand-
ful of officials, working with enthusiasm and devoting all their
energy to a task full of obstacles, if they have at their back a
willing popular ministry.
3132 Carnegie Help
In 1926, the Second Law induced another Akshayapatra
bequeathed by Carnegie — The Carnegie Endowment for Inter-
national Peace — to go to the help of the veteran Library
Association of the neighbouring United States, saying “ Why
should you not occasionally cross the southern line and help
the new plant that is sprouting in the Mexican fields ? I shall
bear the cost.” The American Association zealously seized
this offer and appointed a Committee for Library Co-operation
with the Hispanic Peoples to devote its undivided attention to
this brotherly act. This Committee began its work with great
142
„ SEGOND LAW AND^ ITS DIGVIIAYA. M33
serioBSBess and with the aid of a snbvention of ahont Rs. 3,500
received f rom the' ■ Carnegie Endowment, sent an influential
.. deputation of American 'Librarians to attend the ' Second
; Ajmnar Library Congress held at Mexico city in April ,1928.
This friendly visit was reciprocated by a Mexican. Commission
■ 'Which attended the West Baden Conference of the American
Library Association. This Commission utilised its sojourn as
fully as. possible to inform itself thoroughly of the American
library methods. They visited several libraries, large and small,
and no' effort was spared to make their visits as informing
and helpful as possible. One interesting outcome of a visit to
the Library of Congress was that the librarian of the latter
announced that a complete set of the Library of Congress
printed, catalogue cards would be deposited in the Mexican
National . Library. As the Library of Congress had no appro-
priation from which the cost of packing and transmitting this
invaluable bibliographical tool could be met, the Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace gave a sum of Rs. 5,000
for the purpose, in addition to the Rs. 10,000 it had granted
to cover the expenses of the Commission.
3133 Library Manual
This exchange of visits acted as a fillip to the growth of the
Library Movement in Mexico and the problem of keeping up
proper standards of administration became very acute on such;
a rapid growth of libraries.. To meet this situation the Car-
negie Endowment readily voted a sum of about Rs. 12,000
towards the cost of printing 5,700 copies of Dr. Ernest
Nelson’s Los bibiiotecos en los Estados Unidos^ for free distri-
bution among the libraries of Central and South America.^"®
This is a carefully written hand-book, describing the methods
of library management prevalent in the United States. Mexico
gave it a cordial reception as a helpful source of information.
In fact, the demand for copies was so great that a second
edition had to be issued in 1929. Thus the Second Law saw
the Library Movement grow vigorously from day to day
among the Mexican people^ As a result of its successful
^ " 143
3133 FIVE LAWS' 0;F LIBR ART', SCiENeE,;; ' ^
growth coupled with the spread of rural schools, Mexico
different from the one that ■existed .before, the revolution is
being forged:”^^®^' When the nation shall finally come of age^
the students of its history will fi-nd that not a small part of
the credit for its: maturing should fall to" the mission of the;
' Second Law of Library Science.
314 .Central and South America
The Library Movement in the remaiiiiBg countries of Latin
America is still in its infancy. It is only now that the ideas
about the necessity of spreading education amoiig the masses
are getting broadened in most of these couoixies. The rich
men/ and women in Latin America have, not yet realised the
need for or rhe wisdom of bequeathing money either for
libraries or for other educational purposes; '' their donations
going rather to religious and charitable bodies/’''*'''^ Hence, .the
cost of nurturing the Library Movement has to be met by the
Governments themselves.
3141 Help of U. S. A.
However, the message of the Second Law oTLibrary Science
is being slowly spread in all the 20 Republics constituting
South America. The American Library Association’s Com-
mittee for Library Co-operation with the , Hispanic People is
extending to these Republics also the same co-operation as it'
is showing to Mexico. At the 1929 Conference held at Wash-
ington, and attended by all the South American ambassadors,
the ambassador of Colombia stated, Before the Committee
on Library Co-operation with the Hispanic Peoples liei> a field
destined to yield an abundant harvest ... Those, who are
acquainted with the problem of literary Commerce, recognise
after careful study that the United States is destined to be the
book centre for the Southern Continent ... The South now
more than ever needs to
3142 Pan American Union
Another important organisation which is trying to bring
144
SECOND LAW A'ND ITS DIGVIJAYA 3151
about a uniform spread of Library Movement in South
America is the Pan American Union, which was organised on
a permanent basis by a convention unanimoiisly adopted by
the Sixth International Conference of American States, held
in 1928. One of the^ functions of this Union is ‘‘to assist in
the development of ... cultural relations, ... between the
Americaii Republics,”' as specified in the sixth Article of the
Convention.^ This Union, which is housed in a palace pre-
sented by Carnegie, works in close co-operation with the
American Library Association and the Carnegie Endowment
for ■International Peace and much good is expected from its
work ill the propagation of the message of the Second Law of
Library Science ■ in all the twenty nations of South America,
315 Lucky Alliance
It can be seen from the above that an outstanding factor
that has characterised the expedition of the Second Law in
the New World is the incessant help rendered by that constant
ally, Carnegie, and his benefactions. It is extremely doubtful
whether the New World could have carried away the palm in
the world ’s library race, but for the phenomenal service
rendered by Carnegie to the mission of the Second Law.
Hence, it may not be out of place to devote some space to
Andrew Carnegie himself, before we take leave of the New
-World. .
3151 Andrew Carnegie
The son of a Scottish handloom weaver, who used to come
home at night in utter despair- with the distressing news»
Well, Andra, I canna get nae - mair work ” and of a shoe™
maker*s daughter seeking to improve the family fortunes by
keeping a ‘‘ sweetie shop at Dunfermline, Andrew Carnegie
began life at 13* on Rs. 13 a month as a bobbin boy in a cotton
factory of the United States,^®* and' finally “ emerged from the
mephitic glooms of Pittsburg and scattered largesse over all
the earth, as a God-sent ally of the Second Law of Library
Science.
145
3152 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SGIENCE
3152 Two Camegies
It has been pictured by A. G. Gardiner that there were two
Andrew Camegies in one body and with one soul— the busi-
ness man making millions and the philanthropist spending
millions — without any conflict whatever between the two, each
coming into action on the word of command and vanishing
when his task was done. “ Business ! ” and up sprang the
Iron-king, keen as a razor; “Humanity! ”, and up sprang the
Philanthropist bursting with benevolence. His remarkable
business capacity, his tireless industry and his clear pre-vision
enabled Andrew Carnegie to amass a fabulous fortune.
3153 Gospel of Wealth
His own “ Gospel of wealth" — first formulated in the North
Atlantic review of June 1899 in the words “This, then, is held
to be the duty of the man of wealth : To set an example of
modest, unostentatious living, shunning display or extrava-
gance; to provide modestly for the legitimate wants of those
dependent upon him; and, after doing so, to consider all
surplus revenues which came to him, simply as trust funds,
which he is called upon to administer in the manner which,
in his judgment, is best calculated to provide the most benefi-
cial results for the community, the man of wealth thus be-
coming the mere trustee and agent for his poorer brethren ”
— this, his own ‘ Gospel of wealth," made him give away, in
Raghu’s fashion, practically all he saved, “ for the improve-
ment of mankind.”
3154 Carnegie Corporation
The amount he gave for public benefactions was as much
as a hundred crores of rupees. A large share of this colossal
sum was put into the hands of the Carnegie Corporation of
New York created by an Act of the State of New York, em-
bodied as chapter 297 of the laws of 1911, “to promote the
advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding
among the people of the United States, by aiding technical
schools, institutions of higher learning, libraries, scientific
146
SECOND L.AWVAND ITS DIG VI J A YA:; ;:, ;; 3
research^ hero fundSs useful publicatioii.s, and by such other
agcHcies and means as shall from time to time' be found
appropriate therefor.’:’' • '
3155 Library 'Gift
Although he stated in. his letter of ;gift that ‘^^ no wise man
will bind trustees for ever to certain paths^ causes a.nd institu-
tions/’^'^® he disclosed. Ms mind by adding the rider,- ^' :My
desire is that the work which I have been carryi:ng on ... shall
contiiiue during this and future generations,.”^'^'’ It is well
known that the work which the public associates with Garne-
gie’s name is the work which he has done as , an ally of the
Second Law and of the Library Movement generally. Indeed
it has been said that,' :when :he put his fingers into his:wa!st-
coat pocket one might expect he was going to fetch out a
library.”'^'**’ Probably, -deep in:bis own mind, his innumerable'
library gifts took precedence over all ' others in importance.-
There was only one genuine remedy, he believed, for the ills
that beset the human race and that was enlightenment'. ' ^" Let '
there be light” was the motto that, in the early days, he. in-
sisted on placing in all his library buildings. He sincerely,
believed that the light can be made -to reach all only by pro-
viding Books for All. It was this sincere faith in the rnessage
of the Second- Law that made him such a staunch supporter
of' Library - Movement -and brought about such a lucky
alliance .between him and the Second Law.
3136 Extension to British Colonies
By an Amending Act of 1917, the Carnegie Corporation
of New York was further ‘‘empowered to hold and adminis-
ter any funds given to it for use in Canada or the British
Colonies for the same purposes ... as those to which it is by
law authorised to apply its funds to the United States.” '''
The first result of this broadening Amendment was for the
Carnegie Corporation to carry the gospel of the Second Law
into Canada. But, in 1928, finding that the whole American
atmosphere was well charged ' with the message, Books for
147
"3156" " FiVE XAW-s;:.0F:LlBRART;S'O^^
All, the Carnegie Corporation wanted tO' carry, that message'
into the Eastern Hemisphere as well. Prompted by this desire,
looking eastwards from its home in New York,, it surveyed
the immediately visible regions of, the; Old World. First; it
espied a tiny little red spot standing out from the mainland of
Europe. It was the 'United Kingdom. But ^finding that the
canny Scot had .made a separate and exclusive settlement for
the land of his birth, its eyes began to sweep the Atlantic
coast in search , of another red spot. How one wishes' that
India luid an Atlantic .sea-board ! At last, it spotted, out a
real red region - at the southern ■ -end " of the dark continent.
That' very 'moment,.' it urged a special commission to jump
Haniiman-like across the vast Atlantic, and come back speedi-
ly with a definite- scheme to usher in .t.he era of^ the Second
Law in that important southern outpost of the British
Empire.
32 Soiith-Afrlca
321 Carnegie Commission
Accordingly, the Carnegie Library Commission, consisting
of one American Librarian and one Scottish Librarian, landed
at Cape Town on August 20, 1928. It toured the Union for
three months and found it in complete possession of the
Second Law’s rival, viz., Books for the Chosen Few. No
doubt it found some 211 libraries.
322 Subscription Filter
But they were ail screened “ by the fine meshes of a £1
subscription sifter.” The result was that readers were so few
that the shelves showed little empty space even when every
reader had his full quota at home and that the libraries were
crying out for additions to shelving, whereas, if the Second
Law had been heard, relief would have come through a con-
siderable number of books being constantly in the hands of
people and also through the larger percentage of books getting
worn-out and discarded. _ Thus the poorer Whites were kept
out of the benefits of the libraries by this £1 sifter.
148
325
SECOND LAW AND ITS DLOVIJAYA
323 Colour Bar
The Blacks and the Browns, that formed the majority of the
population, were utterly denied the use of books. The Com-
missioners describe this big blockade on the path of Books
FOR All in quite unmistakable terms The South African
is willing — perhaps has no other way out— for the native to
cook his food, care for his children, keep his household in
order, serve him in a personal way, carry his books to and
from the library, but he would feel that an end of his regime
were at hand if this same servant were permitted to open
these books and read therein.”““
324 Status OF Librarian
The commission found that all the evils that follow from
the negation of the first two laws of Library Science were
abundant in the Union of South Africa, The person selected
as librarian was usually “ some local person with the generally
accepted qualifications of a love for books or the need for a
job.” The laymen constituting the library committee invari-
ably arrogated to themselves the capacity to discharge “all of
those executive functions ” which are usually considered “ as
the reasons why librarians are trained, employed and paid
for.” Under such circumstances, “ Librarianship is usually
not held to be a profession ; it is merely a custodianship.”
The ridiculous result of the prevalence of such a conception
of librarianship is seen in the following experiences of the
Commissioners : “ For example, in one fair sized town where,
as invariably, we were received with unimpeachable hospita-
bility, tea was served in the midst of our deliberations —
served by the librarian and her assistant who, their duties
nicely performed, retired and were seen no more. In other
places the librarian was not even introduced — not, be it
insisted upon, through any intent of discourtesy on the part
of the Committee.”
325 Wrong Standard
Again the Commissioners found the library buildings
149
325
FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
“poorly planned, highly inconvenient and utterly unattrac-
tive.” They also observe that “Fittings are made ... seem-
ingly with no knowledge of plans elsewhere found practicable.
Shelving too often starts two feet from the floor and runs to
the ceiling, thus making ladders a necessity.” The same beoks
were stocked in every library, but all unread. This tendency
for every library to buy every book which its readers may
occasionally require, with utter disregard of library co-opera-
tion and co-ordination, led to a sad waste of money, tied up
capital in unproductive books and made it impossible for the
people to have important special books which could have a
direct bearing upon their success in opening up an undevelop-
ed country.
326 Academic Libraries
College libraries were found to have suffered most, from
the absence of a strong championship of the Second Law.
The Commissioners have recorded “ The Universities of Pre-
toria and Grahamstown have fewer books than one could
reasonably expect to find in a good high school in America.
... The quite ambitious University of the Witwaterstrand at
Johannesburg offers the unique example of an institution of
higher learning without library and without librarian ... Classi-
fication, Cataloguing and those aids in the use of books
which are to-day considered an essential part of a college
library are either lacking or indifferently done. Every staff is
almost hopelessly undermanned and quite generally with no
one who has had library training ... The books are kept
under lock and key.”
327 Application to India
Such a lengthy extract from the findings of the commis-
sioners has been given because it seems to describe the Indian
conditions with great accuracy. The hope that the commis-
sioners’ strictures on such conditions may, perhaps, open the
eyes of those that have to do with the management and
maintenance of libraries in India is the only justification for
150
such a long digression. Switching back to the main purpose
of this chapter, let us enquire how the Carnegie Commission
has prepared the ground for the easy and certain progress of
the Second Law in the Union of South Africa.
328 Recommendations of the Commission
The Commission’s trips about the country made it possible
to convey the message of the Second Law to the Library
Committees, especially to school authorities, to government
officials and, in short, to every person and organisation that
could be induced to stop and listen. With rare exceptions,
the people concerned recognised the faults in their scheme
and often expressed astonishment that they had never noticed
them before. When the work of the Commission culminated
in the Conference at Bloemfontein on November 15-17, 1928,
the dead weight of “ Books for the Chosen Few ” was buried
without tears and without discussion and the only business
that had to be transacted was to work out details on the
assumption that the Law “Books for All” was to be given
possession of the land and, in fact, a scheme was finally
forged with the usual Carnegie touch.
(1) The Union Government was urged to recognise
the need for encouraging all school-children in
the habit of reading books by giving them guid-
ance in the use of books and to recognise the pro-
vision of library facilities as a legitimate charge
on the public revenue of the State, so that the
educational services founded by the State may
prove effective and give a fair and lasting return
on the amount spent on them.
(2) The Union Government and the Carnegie Corpo-
ration should each contribute an annual sum of
Rs. 1,70,000 up to a specified period, after
which the Corporation is to withdraw step by
step and finally turn to other lands, leaving the
entire responsibility on the shoulders of the
Government.
151
328
FXVE/X'AWS OF ■ ^ SCIENCE V'
(3) The National Library Scheme should consist of ■
/on main centre, six .secondary centres, several
' /, minor . centres and innumerable distributing
: stations scattered throughout the country— in
■ ,/', village' schools, police stations, post offices,
Y. M. C. A/s and so on.
(4) Representations should be made to the ' South
African Railways and the General Post Office to
■ assist in . the development of free library service
by free transportation of books.
(5) Books should be served free .to one . and all, irres^
pective of the colour of the skin.
(6) A Library Association should be formed to main-
tain proper professional standards and : to'-, pro-
pagate Library Movement.
(7) A suitable library legislation should be undertaken
to place the sway of the Second Law on a
permanent footing.
(8) And last but not least the Commission would
recommend that ‘‘ it is highly desirable for a
director or an organising director to be on the
ground ” immediately to plan the proper work-
ing of the scheme in association with a National
Library Board.
The Commission emphasised the grave importance of the last
mentioned initial step with the words “Whether the funds of
the Corporation and of the Union are to be wasted or whether
they are to become golden seeds which shall produce nourish-
ing crops year after year will/depend very largely upon these
first principles of library culture.”
3281 Book Production
Before we leave the Union of South Africa, the present
conditions of the Indian book-world call for a special men-
tion of a step of far-reaching importance taken by the Carne-
gie Corporation at the instance of the Commission. The
Corporation gave a grant-in-aid of about Rs. 26,000 to an
152
SECONO LAW AND ITS DIGVIJAYA 331
existing native press to enable it to increase the quantity as
well as to improve the bibiidgraphical quality of the books in
the indigenous Bantu languages.
3291 East Africa
The Carnegie Commission has made similar recommen-
dations to prepare the way for the entry of the Second Law
into the Rhodesias and the Kenya Colony. But, we may skip
over the remaining parts of Africa.
33 Eastern Europe
The outburst of enthusiasm that has characterised the post-
war reception of the Second Law in every other important
country of Europe is quite unmistakable. This has been due,
not a little, to the grim light that the fiery furnace of the
Great War threw on the fatal results of providing unequal
opportunities for self-education, under the spell of the anti-
quated twins. Education for the Chosen Few and Books
FOR the Chosen Few. The democratic ideals and the social
aspirations that were generated by that upheaval led to the
banishment of these two mischief-makers in company with
some of the crowned heads of Central and Eastern Europe.
The new mental stir of the newer nations just liberated from
age-long repression seems to have spread into the older and
the neutral countries as well. They seem to have all vied with
one another in making the quickest preparations possible for
the reception of the Second Law of Library Science in their
midst. New Acts were forged or old Acts were amended to
carry out its message with the least possible delay. ‘ Books
FOR All ’ was one of the cries that rent the European sky in
the decade that followed the Treaty of Versailles. But the
manner in which Library Movement worked its way varied
from country to country.
331 Greece
We need not linger long over worn-out Greece which greets
us in her faded glory, as we cross the Mediterranean Sea.
153
332 Bulgaria
The vehicle, that it adopted in the first country that we
reach as we proceed north from Greece, is of special signifi-
cance to India. Bulgaria seems to show us how to put new
wine in old bottles. She had in her possession a peculiar old
inslitulion called Cbitalista, which ‘Ms a sort of library com-
bining the activities of a Theatre, Movies, Social Hall (Com-
miniity Social Hall) and library. This time-honoured
insiitiUioii, which is held by the people in great aftectioii, is
ihe agent selected to distribute ‘ Books to All.' The inniiiiie-
Table. lectures it organises , on subjects of current interest, such
as Hygiene, Agriculture, Sociology, Science, Religion and so
on, lead to the popularisation .of. books, especially, among the
young.' The ■ Minister , of ■Education- who, is a great library
enthusiast had a law enacted in 1928, which has resulted in
rapidly increasing the number of Chitalistas which were already
as many as 1984. He further appointed a library-organiser
and had her trained in England and America. She has a place
ill the National Council of Education.^’ ‘ The expert know-
ledge and the unbounded enthusiasm of this library-organiser
are proving to be fitting lieutenants of the Second Law in its
expedition through Bulgaria.
333 RUM.ANIA ,
Bulgaria's northern neighbour, Rumania, has also adopted
a similar plan. When the time came to house the Second Law,
she easily adapted her Astras and Athenewns for the purpose.
These old institutions seem to have readily taken to the
modern library idea as ducks to water. The Astra, which is
but a short name for “ The Association for Rumanian Litera-
ture and Culture,” conducts courses for illiterates, organises
study circles and maintains libraries. It has to its credit as
many as 3,000 libraries. The financial handicap experienced
by the Ministry of Education has led it to rely largely upon
such old institutions and on private benefactions for the spread
of the message of the Second Law.
3331 Two Birds at . One Stroke
The financial handicap' has, also led the Ministry of Edu-
cation to take another 'interestmg step, which seems to be
worth adopting in our country, where, in province after pro-
vince,'the Finance Member- raises" the bogie of financial com-
mitments, the moment-' the question of a Public Library Bill
is raised. The Rumanian Ministry of Education seems to have
attempted to hit two birds at.:one stroke. The 8,000 and odd
school libraries with over a- million of volumes, which came
to be established during the last- few years, have been thrown
open to the Public at large. The economy in administration
and the intensive use of the book-resources that will result,
from such a step will afford great- financial relief to most of
our provinces for many years to come.
3332 Relapse to Illiteracy
Another great lesson that the experience of Rumania tea-
ches us is the fiitulity of and the wastage involved in having
a scheme of compulsory education, without making any pro-
vision side by side to supply the books that are necessary to
keep up and give exercise to. the literacy that is purchased at
a, heavy cost. , 'In spite of -the Cuza Constitution of 1866
having had. a section on free compulsory education,-the-census
of 1899 disclosed ‘‘that 78 per-cent of the inhabitants above-
seven years of age -could neither -read nor write, the number
of women illiterates reaching 90 per cent.” Such was the
havoc of relapse to - illiteracy ' due to the absence of library
provision. Hence, it can be seen that it is only the most reck-
less custodian of Public Finance that will say, I have just
enough money to spare for compulsory education but none
for library provision.”
334 Yugoslavia
The three new nations of Central Europe which form the
western neighbours of Rumania have taken to the modern
library movement with great avidity. In each of these coun-
tries, the Ministries of Education have, from the beginning,
155
334 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
understood their primary duty to lie in the removal of illitern
acy and the provision of public libraries to keep up the
literacy so acquired. In Yugoslavia, for example, a special
Department has been established in the Ministry of Education
to develop this new instrument of popular education. The
Department has already organised more than a thousand vil-
lage libraries and nearly 700 courses for illiterates, in
which hundreds of men and women are learning to read and
write. The collections in such village libraries contain not
only books intended for recreation but also those that relate
to ‘ Household Work,’ so that the villagers may, by reading
them, lead a happier, cleaner and brighter life.
335 Hungary
In Hungary, things have not yet taken a final shape. She is
yet too poor to provide Books for All, as she has not yet
fully recovered from the consequences of the war, the revolu-
tion and the dismemberment of the country. Still, the Second
Law is making its best efforts even there. The Minister of
Education inaugurated in 1923 an elaborate enquiry into the
needs and the means of effective popular education. As a
result of this enquiry, an Adult Education Bill has just been
drafted. The third chapter of the Bill deals with the library
movement. It makes it obligatory for villages and towns to
found libraries. Provision is also made for such" places, as are
too small and poor to maintain a library of their own, to be
aided by travelling libraries maintained by the County
Councils and aided by the State.
336 Czechoslovakia
But the greatest success has attended the expedition of the
Second Law only in Czechoslovakia. As soon as she escaped
from the clutches of Austria— a name that meant to her
“every device that could kill the soul of a people, corrupt it
with a modicum of material well-being, deprive it of freedom
of conscience and of thought, imdermine its sturdiness, sap its
steadfastness and turn it from the pursuit of its ideal ” —
156
SECOND LAW A N D J TS ' D I G Y 3362
the teachings of one' of her. awakeners/ ’ Palacky, rushed to
her mind. One of his teachings was- ^ Through education
alone could the way of salvation be found/’ and education
was interpreted' not' merely as . putting' the children in school
but as a life-long process. . Such an education meant the pro--
vision of Books for All and hence,. ‘‘ With ' all : the problems
■of a new, nation, to face, Czechoslovakia made public library
service compulsory in cities and villages by the Act of July
1919. Very small, communes were given ten years of grace.
By 1929, there was very' nearly universal' library' service.”
3361 Library Act
The provisions of the Act were drawn up with the greatest
■ regard for practical details. It, provided for a graded sys,tem
of libraries. Communes with more than 10,000 inhabitants
should have a trained librarian, should have all the depart-
ments of a public library and should keep them open on all
days. In smaller communes^ a few of the departments may be
dropped, the library may be closed on a few days of the
week and a librarian who has undergone only a rapid one-
month’s course in library science may be eniyloyed. In small
parishes, the village teacher may administer the library with
the aid of a practical handbook supplied by the Ministry of
Education. The finances of the libraries are to be ordinarily
found from special local rates. The poorer communes, how-
ever, are to be aided by the Ministry of Education by a free
supply of suitable books. The Ministry should also maintain
a School of Library Science for the creation of a competent
library corps to enforce the rule of the Second Law and
arrange for the periodical inspection of the libraries for the
maintenance of proper standards.
3362 Achievement
As the result of such a carefully framed Library Act, the
number of libraries has risen from 3,400 in 1920 to 16,200
in 1926. There is, on an average, one library for 894 inhabi-
tants and 44 books for every 100 inhabitants. 7*1 per cent of
157
Ilie popiilation have become constant readers, the average
number of books read by a reader in a year being 18. 3«
3363 Application to Madras
The area of Czechoslovakia is comparable to that of
Tamil Nadu, while its population is about two-thirds of that
of the Tamils, Hence a comparison between the two countries
cannot be said to be invidious. Czechoslovakia does not regard
an annual public library expenditure of about Rs. 15,00,000^’’^
extravagant. In fact it works out to be only a little short of
2 annas per capita. The great importance that she attaches to
libraries can be seen by comparing this amount spent on
libraries with the total annual expenditure of the State, which
■is 'about "Rs. 10.00,00,000.^"'^ Now, the animal expenditure of
Madras is nearly Rs; i7,00,00,000f One is curious to ask
what is 'the total public library expenditure of Madras. Is it,,,
at least,.. Rs. 1,00,000 ? Whereas Czechoslovakia spends nearly
i-S per cent of her revenue on, public libraries, . Madras does
not' set apart even ‘0.5 per cent-,, of ■ her reve,iiiie for library
provision.
3364 Linguistic Minority
Another feature in which Czechoslovakia resembles our
land is in the heterogeneity of its people. They are made up-
of several races, which speak different languages. But she has
shown that these features need not be regarded as standing in
the way of our carrying out the mandates of the Second Law.
She has, in fact, met the situation by a generous provision in
the Library Act, that any minority community, that is at least
400 strong in a commune, should be provided with a special
public library of its own, whose managing committee should
be made up solely of members of that community. The in-
terests of the communities, whose strength falls short of this
minimum, are to be borne in mind by the main library of the
commune, in its book-selection.
3365 Bookr'Production-^
Another interesting matter in... which the Czechoslovakian
Government sets us an example lies in the interest with :Wli!ch
it fosters the creation of ' books- .suitable for library use..
!v!r. T.G. Masaryk, the first President and, in a sense, the maker
of Czechoslovakia, created .a fund of about Rs. 4,00,000
for the inslilution of a quasi-public organisation “ m close
relaiion to the cemral offices of the State "' for the direc-
tion of the cultural activities of the nation. It has been ap-
propriately named the Masaryk Institute and .lias been func-
tioning from April 1925. One of its activities is the provision
of books such as are suitable for libraries under advantage-
ous conditions ... Through specially drawn-up questionnaires
it studies the psychology of. the reader, and the power and
influence of the printed word,*' and “interests itself in'finding
good books for the young,:. for school, libraries and for -youth
in general: It publishes a. 'critical m.onthly, Unor, Especially
devoted to literature for the young tissues lists of -good'., books.'
for youthful readers and organi.ses tivery' year e,xhibitio!is -of
suitable reading matter for young people.'” This is a fine
example of alt that wu’ If 'be done to further the library '.'move-
ment, by a 'State which sincerely .believes in the message of
the Second Law. -
337 Poland
Now, a further step to the North takes us into Poland —
the persecuted Poland — which regained its full freedom only
after the Great War. The moment Poland recovered political
independence in 1918 and “ the reunited Polish nation regain-
ed control of its destinies, the cause of education became one
of the principal concerns of society and of the reborn Polish
State.” At the initial stages many voluntary bodies like
the Society of People’s Libraries, and the People’s School
Association, came into prominence and carried the torch of
library movement with willingness and enthusiasm. The
former is responsible for the establishment of about 1,300
libraries, while the latter has to its credit about 500 stationary
159
libraxies and about 800 travelling libraries. Local autliorifies
too are taking their part* The city of Lodz, for example, has
one adults' library and five children's libraries. These libraries
are also centres of educational work carried on systematically
by popular lectures and readings illustrated by music and
pictures. In many of the children’s libraries, self-government
and self-management are being introduced.
3371 Library Legislation
The State "has, by now, realised that such voluntary enter-
prises are too inadequate ■ to meet the library needs of the
country and that the mandate of the Second Law can be
properly carried- out only, by legislation., A Library Bill, that
has been recently drafted, makes it obligatory for every coni-
mune to establish- a library, the smaller communes being
served by travelling libraries provided by the central library
of the District. The necessary funds are to be got by a special
library rate. The Union of Polish Librarians, with its head-
quarters at Warsaw, is doing its best to further this legisla-
tion. When the Bill is passed into Law, about 15,000 libraries
will come into existence and the Second Law will establish
its permanent sway in Poland.
338 Soviet Union of Russia
A step to the East lands us in Russia — that vast territory
which stretches across the entire breadth of two continents.
As a certain amount of scepticism seems to lurk in the minds
of people about recent happenings in Soviet Russia, it may
be well to begin the description of the Second Law’s great
achievements in that land of mystery, with an illuminating
quotation from the honest expression of opinion of an im-
partial observer — ^Professor Paul Monroe, Director of the
International Institute, Teachers’ College, Columbia Univer-
sity— based on his experiences of a recent sojourn among the
Russians* His description of the manner in which the Law
‘ Books for All ' is spreading into the remotest corners of
Russia is contained in a section entitled, The village culture
160
V'S.EC'OND, XAW. AK-D' ITS D I G VI JA Y A; , .338
centre, eofiage library or the people'' s house, m a' paper he lias
contributed .to International conciliation.
The. village and rural population, not much interested: in
theory,; and not well informed, is the most.ditB.ciiit ' to.Teac^
One instrumerit invented for the education of the peasantry
is the "cottage library ’ or culture centre, or People’s House,
A building is set aside for the culture use of the.Tittle com*”
nmnity. In this are to be found .a few. books, many pamphlets,
newspapers and posters. Much of the population education
is carried on by posters, Issued by the central ■.govenimeiit as
well as by other agencies. .These relate to all sorts of subjects:
care of children, nature of diseases and especially of infec-
tions'; propaganda, against the fly, mosquito, hookworm, and
other infections or carriers of infection. There are posters on
the. use of farm machinery,., on the selection of seeds,' on
methods of land fertilization and cultivation, such as deep
plowing; posters on anti-alcoholism and anti-religion, on the
subject of foreign religion, on the subject of foreign relations,
and on all communistic doctrines. These cottage libraries al-
ways are used for the gathering of peasants in the evening ...
Many of theseeulturecentres have radios, and the broadcast-
ing from Moscow is excellent. .
""Most of the centres contain a small stage for dramatic
performances and serve as centres of recreation. The dramatic
performance is one of the approved methods of instruction
as well as of amusement.
""The cottage libraries are conducted by committees, each
having charge of one specific activity. In such work is found
also one of the chief educational agencies for improving the
condition of the adults. One very popular form of perform-
ance is the dramatization of the news of the week by selected
groups.
"" In this centre also meet the various committees that have
charge of the various interests of the village and its govern-
ment ; health, agriculture, schools, roads, relations with the
county or district government, communistic education and
propaganda, young communist organizations, etc.
161
338
:F;iVE' fc:AWS OF ■■LIB.R.A.R ¥ ■ S CIEN CE ; ; ,
'^The question of the extent of the welfare and ediicationai
activities arises again in connection; with these institM^
it does with the schools. I can only give my own experience.
In the district of Leninakan, 2,000 miles from Moscow, which
I visited, there are 20! villages. The district government
reports that in 65 of these it has established culture' centres ;
' that 65 other villages have established such centres of their
own volition'; leaving about a similar number yet iinreaclied.
I personally visited six villages. All of them had schools; all
had cottage libraries.”
3381 Lenin’s Proclamation
As a 'matter of fact, - as. soon as the New Russia emerged
from. the. October Revolution, the spirit -of Educatio'n for
All ” rushed into it with eagle speed in , company with the
Second Law of Library Science. Russia drank deep of the
Pestalozzian conception of social education as the polishing
of one link of a large chain, which unites all humanity into a
single whole; and the errors in the education and guidance
of men consist for the most part in that separate links are
isolated from the chain and one begins to philosophise over
them as if they alone existed and as if in the quality of rings
they did not represent the property of the w^hoie chain.”
Lenin proclaimed at the 1921 All-Russian Congress of Work-
ers for Popular Enlightenment, “You must remember that
an illiterate uncultured people cannot conquer.” It was held
“ Unless the masses are enlightened, a rigorous heightening
of their economic welfare is impossible, co-operation is im-
possible and a genuine political life is impossible.” Hence,
the first fact to which the energy of the new government was
turned was the alarming illiteracy and ignorance of the people.
“According to the census of 1920, sixty-eight per cent of the
inhabitants of the Soviet Union were illiterate ... One of our
primary tasks has consequently been the abolition of illiteracy.
By 1933-34, the ability to read and write should be the
possession of every citizen of the Soviet Union.” In the words
162
S.E..CO:N.D,,LAW AKD ITS 'dIGVIJAY.A. 3384
of the President of the State University of Moscgwv such was-
the fesolve that, was made. ;
3382 Service to Neo-Literates ■
- Tims the immediate education of the adult population
became a most important part of the work of the Commis-
sariate of Education. The work involved the creation of
'' centres for the liquidation of illiteracy; political-cultural
clubs and reading rooms (Lenin Corners) ; wwkers’ and
peasa,iits' houses; permanent and itinerant libraries; seif-
education centres and magazines ... propaganda work (includ-
ing tableaux, plays,' etc.) for special campaigns '... Quick
learners, help the slower; semi-literates the .illiterates ... As
soon as they can readfa little they are encouraged as semi-
lite:rates to go to the local cottage reading room' (Isba) or,
club, and then to the library. After six months of such work,
■a school is set up, to prepare abler -persons for a Rabfac.','
3383 Achievement
The tenth anniversary of the October Revolution was made
an, occasion to take stock of the achievements of Education
FOR All and Books ■ for- All in a decade’s expedition Tn,
.Russia. It was found that ‘‘ approximately ten million persons ,
were^ taught , to and- write ... The number of sationary
libraries increaseo from 4,640 to 6,414, of urban moving libra-
ries from 3,054 to 25,579, and of village moving libraries from
3,167 to 4,343 ... In the Russian Republic in 1926, there were
7,250 circles in which 120,000 persons were studying.”^^^ The
latest year-book on hand makes mention of 46,759 schools
for illiterates and 50,000 travelling libraries.
3384 Journal for Neo-Literates
This phenomenal spread of Library Movement has re-
sulted in such a wide-spread love of reading that a reading
room is not infrequently found even in the lobbies of cine-
mas, where the audience waits for the next performance. To
satisfy the craving for reading, that is evinced by those that
» 163
"3384 FIVE: LAWS O'F LIBRARY SCIE'N.CE
are just emerging from the grip of illiteracy/ a montlily
journal is published under the title Down with illiteracy; the
extensive use of illustrations and diagrams throughout the text
makes it possible to put elementary articles on political and
economic subjects before those who are just beginning to
master the technique of reading.”^®®'
3385 Book-Production
■ ■ The activities of the Publication Department of the Soviet
Union illustrate the part that the State should play in the re-
generation of a country like ours where more than half a cen-
tury’s. divorce between the intelligentsia and the mother tongue
has crippled the latter and has hence left the masses in utter
ignorance of the recent transformation of the scientific, eco-
nomic, political and cultural world. The Soviet Union has
evolved a novel institution of what are called Village-Book-
Correspondents. These correspondents have arisen in answer
to a realisation on the part of the peasants of the part played
by books. It is the mission of the book correspondent to keep
the State Printing Office informed as to the types of books
which have been most useful to the peasantry, most of whom
are just beginning to read the illustrations which have proved
most effective, the subjects , on which books are needed, etc.
This is only the beginning of the work of our book corre-
spondents in the spreading of literature in the village.”^^'^ The
systematic preparation of a literature for children is also in
the first stages of progress.
3386 Application to Madras
This intimate and active interest that the Soviet State is
taking in the production of the necessary books to facilitate
the supply of Every Person His or Her Book in accordance
with the requirements of the Second Law stands in sharp
contrast to the conditions obtaining in our own land. The
Madras Library Association found that grave difficulties were
experienced by its Tamil Book Selection Committee as a
result of the dearth of Tamil books dealing with current
164
,, SE'CO„HI> LAW AND ITS DIG¥IJAYA , • 3388,
thouglit* The Council of the . Association : stated, '' T
sent state 'of our country demands imperatively that books' of
an infomiatioiial nature should be circulated in large quanti-
ties by our libraries. But, as has been remarked., . there are
very few such books in Tamil ... No doubt, the law of supply
and demand will govern the solution of this problem also.
However,, the Committee feels that the establishment of an:
appreciable number of public. libraries would strongly create
the necessary demand.
®‘ The Council would also appeal to the Government and
the Universities of the Province actively to foster the creation
of the necessary supply during the initial stages. This is a
legitimate and primary duty of the State which is responsible
for the general welfare of the citizens and of the Universities
one of whose main functions is the dissemination of know-
ledge. At any rate, the difficulties at the initial stages are too
great to be overcome by any agency other than the State and
the Universities. The experiences of other countries in similar
circumstances go to confirm this view.”
3387 Resistance by Government
The Universities might excuse themselves saying that the ex-
tension, rather than the dissemination, of knowledge was their
primary duty and that, as they had not yet fulfilled even that
primary duty owing to their absorption in the constant turn-
ing of the examination wheel, there was no near prospect of
their developing an extension side. The Finance Minister of
the Government, who seems to have been scared by the pro-
bable year-to-year profit and loss account of such an adven-
ture, was unwilling to be convinced and pronounced that
The connection between the responsibility of the State for
the general welfare of its citizens and the fostering of the
publication of suitable books for their use is more rhetorical
than convincing.”
3388 Educating the High-Placed
Under such circumstances, the Second Law of Library
165
3388 FI VE ;L:.A'W,S,'O.F,, LIB-R ARY SCIENCE,
Science will liave to do a good deal of lobbying in mmi terial
chambers and academic cloisters and first' educate' the, high™
placed and: the : learned with its experiences among other
progressive nations, before it can hope to supply Every
Indian His OR Her Book:.
34 ScaEiinayia
341 Finland
Let us now move westwards and have a look at" Finland
and her hospitality to the Second Law. One might hastily
exclaim, “ What can that cold,' far-olf, sparsely-populated
little-known land have to teach us.” Finland is no doubt far
off. Ill fact, she is largely confined to the Arctic circle'. This
no doubt makes her bitterly cold. She does not even see the
sun for several days in the year. She is also very sparsely po»
pulated. With an area nearly as large as that of our province,
she has barely three-fourths of the population of our District
of Malabar. But, if she is little known, it is not her fault.
She does not prevent us from knowing her. But “ No one
who knows anything of the Finns will deny that they are the
best-educated nation in the world. Neither Germany nor
America can claim an equality with them in this respect ...
The love of learning thus fostered has remained a prominent
feature of Finnish character unto this day and is in part res-
ponsible for the progress of the people. There are very few
of the lower classes that cannot read,”^®'^ Indeed, we are told
that in 1920, only 0*7 per cent of persons who had completed
their 15th year could neither read nor write.^®^
3411 Library Act
Even in the centuries of her subjugation under a foreign
yoke, Finland had seen the wisdom of following the Second
Law of Library Science. But, till she regained her mdepand-
ence in 1917, the Finnish language had been superseded by a
foreign tongue. It was only after the Great War relieved her
from this handicap, that the national language regained its
legitimate place and that there was “ a marked increase in the
166
:iiiimber :of books adapted to the' needs of the agricultUTal and
.working classes' .and now there, is no dearth, of scientific and
.other ediicatioiia! literature.^®® Again, till she got her freedom
from her' foreign masters, the few libraries, that were separat-
ed' by long distances, .had to' be linked' together' only by the
voluntary' efforts of the Library. Society of Fiiiiand. But by
an Executive Act of 1921 and later' by the Library Act of
Ap,ril 1928, the State has. now taken upon itself the further-
ance of Library Movement.'
3412 Achievement
This 'Act has brought all the libraries under the direction
of a" State Library Board presided over by U' member of the
Ministiy of Education. The executive of this Board is termed
the State Library Bureau and is m,anaged by the Library
Director. This Bureau does library propaganda, trains librari-
ans, publishes bibliographical tools and i.m proves library
methods in all possible ways. Due to its fostering care, the
537 rural communes of Finland are now served by nearly
1,000 libraries. Of her 38 towns and 18 boroughs, nearly 80
per cent have public libraries of their own. Her chief town,
Helsinki, which has a population of 227,375, lends out more
than 700,000 volumes in a year.
3413 Library Finance
The Library Act provides for a library rate, which usually
amounts to about 6 pies per capita. But an important feature,
which is of interest to us whose central taxation is dispro-
portionately high, is that of the half-grant-system.” The
State gives a grant of 50 per cent of the expenditure on books ^
salaries, rent, etc,, in addition to special building grant.^^®
The amount of library grant thus disbursed in 1928 was
nearly Rs. 70,000. It can be realised that this State-grant is
net as small as it looks if we remember that the population
served is less than that of one of our districts.
342 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
342 Norway
We may begin our study of the progress of the Second
Law in the Scandinavian Peninsula with a short review of
the reception accorded to it by Norway. Although the
Government of Norway has been subsidising libraries from
1830, it is only in the present century that her library provi-
sion has reached the level demanded by the Second Law. She
has now about 60 municipal libraries and over a thousand
rural libraries.*” There is a Library Office attached to the
Ministry of Education. Its chief function is to disburse the
State grant and see to the maintenance of proper standards
in the libraries. It also maintains a few travelling libraries
and particularly the circulating library for seamen which has
deposit-stations in all the Norwegian ports. Mention has
already been made, see section 2171, of the part played by one
of these deposit-stations in a fishing village of the North Coast
in advancing a neglected fisher boy to a Professional Chair.
343 Sweden
The eastern half of the Scandinavian Peninsula bears a
more marked testimony to the advent of the Second Law of
Library Science. The history of the Swedish libraries illus-
trates in a splendid fashion the transformation that will come
over an old library system as soon as its message vitalises it.
Here is an authentic account of the effects of its advent as
given in a responsible hand-book published by the Swedish
Government in 1914. “The old parish libraries which had
long existed in many places were rummaged in 1900. It was
found that they either consisted of the decayed remnants of
originally good collections, or that books were in good con-
dition, but hardly ever used ... State aid to the people’s
libraries was first resolved on by the Ricksdag in 1905. In the
Ecklesiastik-departementet there are since 1913 two library
experts (bibliothekskonsulent), who report to the Department,
advise the general public as to books, etc., and superintend
the State-aided libraries.”
168
. SECOND LAW. AND' ITS DIGVlJAyA . 3432'
3431 Achievement ^
Thus the Second Law has been successful enough in ..Sweden;
to entrust the furtherance of the Library Movement to the
.State, itself. Of the two- library experts, one is, in charge of
the public libraries and the other of the school libraries. The
expert in charge of public libraries has brought about a tho-
rough reorganisation of the library system by the introdiic-
tion of " Open-access/ by the establishment of chiidren’s
departments, by the modernising of library' buildings and by
the steady raising of the professional equipment of the library
staff. The advantages accruing from the modernisation had
such a good effect on public opinion that the year 1929 saw
the easy passage of a Library Act through the legislature. This
Act “ provides for a reorganisation of the service and a pro-
gram of district (Ian) library organisation corresponding to
the American County Libraries ... The Government will
give 10,000 Kroner' annually to each district (5,000 if the
district establishes a library, 2,500 if its librarian is trained,,
and 2,500 additional if its reference collection is adequate).
The library adviser expects to organise two libraries each year,
and to cover each of the 24 districts in 12 years.’"'^*^ Apart
from this new district library scheme, Sweden has already got
about 8,500 libraries including the 1,299 school libraries,
which receive annually a sum of about Rs. 15,00,000 from
the Local Bodies and, in addition, a State grant of about
Rs. 3,75,000, while the annual issue exceeds 7 million
volumes.
3432 School Library
On the side of school libraries, there has been an equally
great activity. Education has been planned more and more
in such a way that it is directly linked up with the school
libraries. Special instruction in the use of the library and its.
tools is given to the pupils. The School-Reform of 1928 re-
quires increased self-activity on .the part of pupils in close
association with libraries and this has already caused an in-
, (1) The Indian equivalent is approxinmtely Rs. 7,500.
169
L. S.— !1
3432 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SeiENCE
■crease of grant to the school libraries. In the place of the
279 school libraries of 1913, there were 1,299 school libraries
in 1927. In the place of the three hundred thousand volumes
lent in 1923, two million volumes were lent to pupils in 1927.
It would be educative if corresponding figures are worked out
for Madras.
344 Denmark
Of the trinity of Scandinavian countries, it is Denmark that
has benefited most by providing Education for All and
Books for All. With the aid of a system of schools consciously
directed to the upbuilding of industrial resources — particularly
the unique system of Folk High Schools — and of a carefully
co-ordinated system of progressive public libraries, Denmark,
though endowed by nature with comparatively little agricul-
tural wealth, “ is now producing immense crops and making
herself felt in the markets of the world ... (and has happily)
stopped the city-ward tide of the rural population and built
up a rural social life wherein many of the social problems
confronting rural communities in o{her lands have been
cleared away.*’”'' This successful demonstration on the part of
Denmark should open the eyes of our provinces in good time
to the one sure remedy against the devastating “ city-ward
tide of the rural population ” that is already setting in.
3441 Library System
There is another lesson that Denmark can teach to those
that are anxious to fulfil the exacting demands of the Second
Law, with the maximum possible regard for national eco-
nomy. Her library system is characterised by the most com-
plete scheme of co-ordination possible. The national library
chain begins at one end with the two reservoir State Libraries
— the Royal Library and the University Library — at Copen-
hagen. They are, by mutual consent, specialising in the
Humanities and the Sciences respectively. The next link in the
chain is the group of 80 town-libraries, of which 27, placed
at railway junctions, act also as central libraries or secondary
reservoir libraries. And at the other end of the chain we find
170
.S.ECON.E) .LAW AND -ITS DIGV.IJAYA; ,,,3443
nearly 800 village libraries scattered throughout the ^ country*.
The / system of inter-library loan along this chain makes all
the book resources of the .nation' available for a reader^ no
matter where he may live, and, reduces the duplication , of
books; to a minimum consistent with actual demand. This
wonderful co-ordination is- one of the results of the Library
Act of 1920, which, in a sense, nationalised the libraries of
the country and placed their development and supervision in
the : hands of a State Library Director assisted by a strong
Library Inspectorate.
3442 Library Finance
The same Act entrusted the care of the town. libraries to
the, respective municipalities and that of the village' libraries
to the parish councils of the respective communes. ,, The
library funds made up of the local rates are supplemented by
a State-grant, which is equal to the local contribution in the
case of the smaller libraries. ■ The State Library Director dis-
burses the grants, prescribes the- standards of equipment and
work, gives bibliographical advice and arranges for the pro-
fessional training of librarians. The State grant paid in a year
amounts to about Rs. 7,00,000 and the money found from
local rates and other sources amounts to nearly Rs. 12,00,000,
thus bringing the annual library expenditure of the nation to
about Rs. 19,00,000.
3443 Achievement
There are more than a million volumes in all the libraries
taken together and the annual issue is nearly five million
volumes. Care is taken to induce the library habit even in
the school stage. In fact, at each school there is a lending
library, which is more and more appreciated by the child-
ren.” Thus the Second Law of Library Science is being
entertained by the Danish people in an ideal maimer.
35 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
35 Western Europe
351 Germany
Going south into the Republic of Germany, it is highly
educative to spend some time over the wonderful organisation
of the Scientific Libraries of Prussia, which were in existence
even before the advent of the Second Law. This organisation
was actuated by a desire to Every Serious Student and
Research Worker His Book. It is characterised by the same
thoroughness of detail, which is visible in the unique scienti-
fic “Handbuchs” that Germany alone, of all the countries,
publishes in such large numbers.
3511 State Central Library
The centre of this organisation is the Prussian State
Library, Berlin. Its stock of two million volumes is added to,
each year, by about fifty thousand new volumes, while the
number of periodicals current is about 20,000. The basement
area of the Library building, which is in thirteen storeys, is
nearly 200,000 sq. ft. The classified catalogue is in more than
1,000 volumes, while the alphabetic index runs through 3,000
volumes to which about 90 are added annually. The staff is
320 strong, of whom 76 are specialists in different branches
of Science, engaged in classifying the books and helping the
readers in finding their references.
3512 Library Co-operation
The libraries of the ten Prussian universities and four
technical high schools, which are similar in organisation but
smaller in scale, work in close co-operation with this Central
Library. By mutual agreement they specialise in different
branches of knowledge so that the library finances of the
State as a whole are pooled together effectively and made to
secure as many different publications as possible. This feature
should be of special significance to us, where even the differ-
ent departments of one and the same university tend to fritter
away their meagre library allotments, by each department
insisting on the purchase of a copy of one and the same book
172
SECOND' , LA W:-A-ND I TS D I G V I J A Y A , 3515
for its /exclusive use, 'even though it may be required only
.occasionally.' ■ ’ ' .
3513 Union Catalogue
, The State Library mainta.ins .Union Catalogue of the resour-
ces of all the Scientific Libraries of Prussia and an Informa-
tion''Bureau which helps the worker in any part of Prussia' to
get the materials he wants, through his local library from any
library whatever in the State. It cannot be denied that such
a carefully built system^ of scientific libraries has been one of
the factors that have, contributed to the enormous o.iitput of'
scientific work, in Germany.
3514 Popular Library
But, it can be easily seen that such libraries can serve only
a select scholastic and professional few — the intellectual
aristocracy, so to speak. While they serve their purpose in an
admirable way, they fall short of the ideal preached by the
Second Law, viz,, ‘‘ Books for the wrangler and books for
the bungler.” The modern Library Movement of Germany is
only some thirty years old, while it assumed a phase, accept-
able to the Second Law, only after the revolutionary social
changes which came in the wake of the Great War. The
Union of German Republic Librarians, founded in 1922, is
carrying on a strenuous propaganda on behalf of the Second
Law and is trying to bring home to the Local and State Ad-
ministrations the need for strengthening this new instrument
of Universal Education to make democracy safe.
3515 Leipzig Institute
By far the most outstanding contribution of Germany to-
wards the fulfilment of the requirements of the Second Law
is a piece, of work that is being carried on by the Leipzig In-
stitute. This Institute for Readers and Reading owes its
foundation to the persistent efforts of W. Hofmann, who has
been pleading that a mere collection of books on the one side
and a crowd of unaided readers on the other will not consti-
173
LIBRARY SCIENCE, „
tute R' .modern ■ Public ■ Library, ■ which' should : help' .'.'Every
Reader - TO FIND his Books readily. He emphasised .that the
hiimaii :■ agency capable ■' of establishing contact between the
right book' and the right reader at the right time and in the
right; Biamier, forms a necessary 'third factor. To equip re-
cruits for this work .is no" ordinary task and it is not every
recruit that will have the requisite scholarship, temperament
and personality , for this advanced but necessary form of
library service.- Hofmann pointed out that an intimate know-
ledge of the psychological basis of reading is as important as
a knowledge ' of " books. The purpose of the Leipzig Institute
is to give the necessary training to . the library staff in this
work— reference -service as it is called. '
’ 3516 Application to India
Even the most advanced workers stand in need of this kind
of personal service while it is still more so with the common
people and the students. When proposals for this vital side
of 'library service are - made, ' laymen, . who have spent their
youth . in the pre-Second-Law days, would find slogans like
spoon-feeding ■ md mothering to turn down such -proposals.
Many Hofmanns- are needed in our country to convince our
library' authorities of - the imperative need for such -personal
service' - and .: to knock out of . their heads the anti-deluvian
notion that semi-literate attenders, who can just read the backs
of books and hence need not be paid more than Maistnes or
head-peons, can constitute an adequate library staff.
352 Italy
Going south, we may skip over Austria, which is not dif-
ferent trom Germany for most academic purposes, and enter
Italy. Although Garibaldi had the foresight to see the need
for libraries and founded several people’s libraries, most of
them soon fell into disuse. It is only in the present generation
that they have been revived and largely multiplied in number.
For example, in the place of the four libraries Milan had in
1905, it has now got twenty. During the last decade several
174
355
SECO^ND ' .LA W .AN.D ' I TS;' D I G V I J, A Y A,
travelling libraries (nearly 2,000 in' number) were also institu-
ted to serve the rural, areas.
3521 Federation o'f Public Libraries
: The Italian Federation of Public Libraries founded about
two decades ago has been doing yeoman service to the cause
: of the Second Law. It has induced the formation of several
libraries, promoted the publication, of books suitable for
popular use, persuaded private benefactors, political associa-
tions', Local Bodies and the State to render financial assist-
ance to the libraries and ■ a.rranged for the p'.rofessioiiai
traiiiiiig of librarians.^
3522 Government’s Action
In recent years the Fascist. Government has begun to take
direct interest in the furtherance of the Library Movement.
Its Institute of Fascist Culture has begun to finance^ the
publication of books for popular use and to distribute them
freely to the poorer libraries. The Government has also ap-
pointed a Director-General of State Libraries to reorganise
the library system of the country. It has also established a
Library School at Florence in addition to the schools main-
tained by the Universities of Padua and Bologna.
353, France
Moving westwards, we need not linger long over France,
since in spite of her having many valuable collections, the
library system as a whole is disorganised and poorly develop-
ed from the point of view of the Second Law. It is only
since the post-war years that some effort is being made to
introduce some suitable reforms.. The . dismal ■ no te struck by:
the President of the Association of French Librarians, in the
concluding paragraph of the note he sent to the Semi-cente-
nary Conference of the American Library Association proves
clearly that there is much scope for work for the Second Law.
He says, On the whole, France does not lack scholarly lib-
raries, which offer an infinite variety of intellectual resources,
175
353 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SGIENCE
but which need active efforts to increase their effectiveness.
Public reading facilities need to be organised in more
democratic fashion and to reach town and country
workers~in a word, it is necessary to multiply “ Libraries for
all.”''»
354 Belgium
Going north, we meet Belgium which nearly equals our
Kerala country (i.e., Travancore, Cochin and Malabar taken
together) in area as well as population. The Second Law
stepped into Belgium with the enactment of the Destree Lib-
rary Law in 1921. But already its expedition into that little
country has achieved much. Even in 1928, Belgium had as
many as 2,154 libraries, which house on the whole 3,615,494
books. There were 517,822 readers, who used 7,518,630
volumes.”’ A measure of the achievement of the Second Law
can be got by comparing these figures with those of the 1,200
libraries issuing only 2,650,000 volumes in 1921. What work
still remains for the Second Law may be seen from the fact
that out of the 2,675 Belgian Communes 946 are' still without
Library Service.
355 Holland
A further step to the North would take us to the Nether-
lands. Her library system is quite out of the way in its orga-
nisation. Historically, the ‘Society for Public Good ’found-
ed in 1784 and commonly known as the ‘ Nuf ’ spread its
branches throughout the, country and had an organisation for
lending books so that the public of most of the towns began
to establish libraries by subscriptions and donations, without
waiting for the Local Bodies to take the initiative. It is such
privately managed libraries that are usually known as Public
Libraries in the Netherlands. These libraries which are about
100 in number get monetary help from the Local Bodies and
the State, after they are once firmly established. The Central
Public Library Association, with headquarters at the Hague,
is an influential body, on whose recommendation the Depart-
176
35&
I
SECOND LAW.'.'AN-.D .iTS.' DIGVIJAYA
I niciil of Education usually disburses its grains. Some of these
* Public Libraries send siipplies'' to' riiral areas and in rcliini
get additional gmnhln-md from the county authority. One
defect of this system is that the incoiiie.- of a library is not
J steady but iiicoiiveiiieiitl-y fluefoates from year to \’car in ac-
cordance with the number /of .'siibscribers 'aiid the Im
position of the State "and. the: Local. Bodies. .
356 The United Kingdom
i; Crossing the E'nglish Cliamiel, let us land iii the British
!i Isles and examine how the expedition, of the. Second Law lias
been faring there. Though the 'seed of the Library Movement
sprouted with the Ewart Library Act of 1850, l:hc growtli of
I the seedling was .extremely slow' for a long time except .for the,
slight encoiu'agenient . gi'veii to. its support by the Qiieeirs
Jubilee collections. .But the twe.ntietli. century 'saw* it manured
; by Aiid..rew Carnegie in a generous but judicious ,niariner. This
f made the ,sic.k,ly,, iinpromising seedi.ing- blooiii forth suddenly
in all its strength into, a Kaipaka shedding its fruits uiii-
! formly into every nook and corner of the United Kingdom,
\
County Lib-
1 Other Lib-
1 Total of .Lib-
1 Years.
raiy'.Aulhori-
ticis beginning
1 rary Author i~
jties beginnin.sf
1 .rary Authori-
ties beginning
' ' ' '
Remarks.
to function.
j to function.
1 ' to function.
.
■ : . . Prior to 1 850
0
I
1
1850-- I 859
: 'O' .
22
22 ' .'
1869
0
17
17
l870--i879
0
43
43
I880~--1889
0
73
73
Q. u e e n Ls 1,
Jubilee. :
1890—1899
... 0 ■ ■
139
139
Carnegie^s f
entry. *
1900—1909 ■
0
132
132 :
i
1910—1919 !
0
27
27 ;
I
i 1920— 1927 j
57
26
83 1
1
Carnegie J
County ^
Library r
. ' I
SchenruL !
Total ...
57
480 1
537 j
' fl
!'
f
1 77
f
f
356,
FIVE'XA WS O-F ■XIBR-AR'Y S'CIB'NCB
while the State, was watching from a distance with a smile of
complacence at this good , luck' of the nation.
'3561 Carnegie
The table oiv page !77^”^will show the effect of the appea-
rance of that lucky' ally of the Second Law on the English
soil : — It can be seen from, this table that 71 per cent of the
Library 'Authorities were coaxed into activity only by
Carnegie's gift.
3562 Carnegie and County Library
The following speech of Sir William ,Robertson, Vice-
Chairman of the Carnegie United 'Kingdom Trust, will show
that the entire county library ■ scheme was due solely to the'
initiative of that Trust : —
We made it quite clear — 1 happened to be one of the
deputation and can speak from first-hand knowledge — that
unless the Government were to endow the counties with
powers to continue these schemes (the experimental county
library schemes financed entirely by the Carnegie United
Kingdom Trust), we would have to reconsider our attitude
altogether and withhold the giving of encouragement to coun-
ties to continue this work ... It was, of course, absurd to
encourage a county to come along and run this scheme for
two or three years and then that the whole thing should lapse ;
we therefore put it strongly before the Board of Education
that, unless they brought forward an Act empowering the
authorities to continue the work, the trust must curtail its
activities. The result was the Act which enables you to go
forward and continue the work which we have enabled you
to begin.*’
3563 Government’s Passivity
Again, the characteristic passivity of the British Govern-
ment in the furtherance of the Library Movement and in the
reception to the Second Law 'was pointed out by Viscount
Haldane, the then Lord Chancellor, in his speech welcoming
178
36r
SECOND LAW ■AND. ITS:- DIG VI J;A,Y A
the delegates of the. Second County. Library Conference. He
said, “ Matters like Education, instruments like Libraries, we
leave to take care of themselves... The State, of course, will
have to take it 'op, but it does not take things up until it finds
things going. Then it will say, .“ Here is a good thing, a popu-
lar thing; let us develop it a-nd .thereby attract votes to .those
who administer its affairs ! ” I am in hope' that the Educatiooal
.movement generally has got to that stage ; Library. ' Move-
ment has hardly done so, thougn I think that there are sig'iiS'
that it is getting near. it.'’
3564 Achievement
But whatever be the agency at work, the expedition of the
Second Law has now attained' the greatest success in Great
Britain. The ideal Books for All has beeir nearly reached.
For example 96*3 per cent of the population of England and.
Wales have now easy access to the books they want. Nearly
13' million volumes are to be found among the urban and
county libraries,' while the annual issue is approachi,ng ■ 80'
millions. .About 15 , per cent of the population have become;'
regular readers while the annual library expenditure for the
urban and rural libraries taken together is about one and ,a
half crores of rupees, which works out to nearly 10 annas per
capita. This is raised by a special library rate, whose median
value for urban areas is about 2 p.ies in the rupee, while that
for the rural areas is less than half a pie.
3565 Phase of Consolidation
In fact, the expedition of the Second Law has already be-
come such a complete success in the United Kingdom, that
its Library Movement has now entered into the final phase of
consolidation and co-ordination on a national basis.
36 Pacific Ocean
361 Australia
Taking leave of the island centre of the British Empire, we
may begin our exploration of the East, by a peep into the
179
36! FIVE LA W-SoOF'XIB:R-A;R/Y. SGIEKCE '
island continent of the same;;Empire...Tliis colony is em
the mother country in its liospitality to tlie Second
Library Science^ subject ,tO;.'the limitations cine to the absence
of Carnegie’s alliance. ' There -are- .about 1,200 libraries in the
whole country aided by thC' Local Bodies or the State as the
case may be. The book-needs: of - the. widely , scatteixxlniol
popiilatioTi are generally looked after by what are called
'County 'f.nstitiites, of which there are' about 230 to serve the
two liiindred and fifty tlioiisand people wlio;i,ive in the coon-
try. With the aid of suitable subsidies from the Slate tliey are
doing good' work- a.nd have collected a stock of about 600,000
volumes, wliich are in constant circulation.
362' The ITvwA.i.iAN Islands .
From t,!iis migh'ty isla.nd, we s'hali pass on to a tiny group
of islands in the middle of the Pacific. The Ha'waiian. islands
demonstrate the good old 'adage,. ‘Where there is a 'will t'l.ie.re
isNi 'way.’ The imtural 'handicaps of .Hawaii in p'ro'V'.id,ing
'Books ^0.11 All are many. Standing as. it does at the cross-
roads of the Pacific, it is a melting pot of nations. Its popul-
ation is made up of Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Filipiiies,
SpaBia,rds, Germans, Russians, British, A"meiicaii.s and severa.!
others. This polyglot population is scattered overe'iglit major
islands and several tiny ones. Such linguistic and transport
handicaps have not hindered Hawaii from coming up to Ihe
highest expectations of the Second Law of Library Science.
3621 Achievement
In fact, it has provided universal public library service of a
very high grade through four county libraries, which serve
through 246 delivery stations. The finances of the library
system arc provided entirely by the State, ihe annual allot-
ment being about Rs, 3,00,000. The librarians freciuenlly go
round the islands and get into personal touch with the readers
to enable them to understand their needs and to lead them on
to a wider range of study. About 700,000 issues are made in
each year. The intense reading habit that this implies can be
180
SECOND LAW 'AND' .ITS B I Cr¥ 1 1 A. Y A . ' : 3711
realised if it is remem.bered that the total popiilation of
Hawaii is only 250,000.' It is,. said that even The .remotest
island, which is inhabited only by fifteen men in charge of a'
cable station, gets its quarterly exchange of books. This is
indeed a literal, fulfilment- of the Law Books fo,r All.’’ '
37 Asia'
37i Japan
Now it is time we approach the Asian continent. Before
reaching the mainland, it is proper that we take a look into
the progress of the Second Law in.' the Far-East , Japan, which
is- fast approaching the front rank ■■ among the Powers' of the
World. The -rapid progress that the modern Library 'Move-
ment has made in Japan during the present century is at oiicC'
the cause and effect of “ her rapid transition into iiidustria-
lism, of, her newly acquired wealth and' the effect of Western
political ideas iipoii the masses” and of t,he successful, way
-in which '' the masses of the people are gradually being fitted
to take their part in the expression' of public opinion.” ■
3711 Awakening
After the middle of the last century, when Japan broke
with the policy of seclusion and looked upon the world, she
was amazed to see floating on the opposite shores of China,
a number of unfamiliar flags — the Tricolour, the Union Jack,
and, nearest to her, the Double-headed Eagle.” She saw
also visible signs of threatening encroachments on her shores.
This led her to say to herself, Change as the world doth
change.” She sent her best sons into the world to find out
what she lacked and what she should do. When these sons
returned with their reports, she said, “ Very well, mere sarto-
rial revolutions and the indiscriminate bodily importations of
impossible theories, made in Germany, France or America
will not produce the necessary change. The only thing that can
be effective is the slow but steady transmutation of the soul
of every citizen, with a definite purpose and on a definite
plan.” Accordingly, an Imperial Rescript proclaimed in 1872,
181
‘3711 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
• I
“ It is designed henceforth that education shall be so diffused
that there may not be a village with an ignorant family, nor
a family with an ignorant member.”
3712 Growth of Library System
After ‘ Education fcr All,’ thus ushered in under Royal
auspices, had struggled to work its way single-handed for
about a generation, it realised the need to seek the active aid
of Books for All. Accordingly, 1899 saw the issue of the
first Library Law, authorising prefectures, towns and villages
to establish public libraries. From time to time, the Ministry
of Education issued informal instructions to the governors of
the prefectures to encourage the establishment of Public
Libraries. This has led to a rapid growth of libraries during
the last thirty years, as shown by the graph on the opposite
page. “In 1926-27 there were 4,337 libraries in Japan with
7,623,371 volumes.”
3713 Agencies for Promotion
The Ministry of Education issues a half-yearly list of books
suitable for popular use. It is also running a library school,
in association with its Imperial Library, for the training of
library staff. The Japanese Library Association, founded in
1912, is the non-official body that furthers Library Move-
ment. It does much publicity work and celebrates annually
a ‘ Library Week,’ which is observed with the greatest enthu-
siasm throughout the country.
372 Manchuria
We can witness a novel agency that the Second Law has
engaged to provide Books for All, if we enter the Mainland
of Asia at Manchuria. The South Manchurian Railway
Libraries stand in a class by themselves. The railway company
is maintaining a fairly large library at its headquarters, Dairen,
for the use of its servants as well as the public at large. It
has a stock of more than 120,000 volumes and annually sets
apart a sum of about Rs. 25,000 for the upkeep of the library.
182
183
372
FIVE
t A W S O F LIB R A R Y SCIENCE
It has even undertaken the translation of foreign books tor
the use of its clientele. It has further established about twenty
public libraries in the chief towns and cities and delivere
books at ail the stations along its line, which is about / JO
miles long.
373 China
Coming to China, we find that Library Mowment has
received a great impetus in the hands of the
Government. One of the Departments or uic Mimsii/ of
Education is that of Social Education. This Department is in
clr-<r«e of Public Libraries and schools for ilhteraie acults
Another important agency that helps the cause of the Second
Law in China is tlie National Library Association,
in The Chinese Library Movement is being nw^^r tea
by generous donations from America and iromsome Chinese
merchants. While China has for long been sending most ot
her librarians to the New World to get their prolessional
training, the Boone University has recently started a library
r^oofunder the aMpte of H, Faculty of Arts and .ts work
is Buppientenled by several Summer Courses offered by other
Universities.
374 Persia
Scaling the Great Wall of China we do not find any trace
of the Second Law as we wander through Turkistan, Persia
and Afghanistan. In a paper on the libraries of lersia con-
tributed to the Library Service Section of the hirst All-Asia
Educational Conference of 1930, Mr. Herrick B. Young, the
Librarian of the American College of Teheran, slated that
Library Movement “ is yet to really begin in this ancient land.
Requests from government departments who can organise
their respective libraries and the interest with which the young
Persian student is contemplating library service as a careCT
give hope that such a movement is here m its first stages.
184
382.
,$.ECON.r> LA.W: AN.D 'ITS DI.G VIJ'A YA
■';.' ■ SSI PUNJAB ■ :
But, as we enter our own country throiigli the historic Kai“
her pass,. ’we find the Land 'Of Five Rivers marked iiere and
tiiere the i’resli footprints of the Second Law. The ancL
ent valley of the Sindhii has been ■ the accredited cradle of
many an Indian institution. As if to respect this ancient tradi-
tion, the Second Law seems to have chosen the Department
of Public Instruction of the Punjab to be one of its first
apostles ill British India. It is indeed refreshing to iieai:^
“Another recent development is the institution of village
libraries. There are now over. 1,600. such Iibra:rieS' attached to
Upper and lower middle schools. These libra,ries are iiiain«
tallied by., the district boards with the assista,nc.e of Govern-
ment grants, and are open not only to school boys and those
who have .passed out from the school, but a,Iso to village
people at large, while the librarians are required to, give lec-
tures and talks to the people in general on topics iise,ful to
the cou,at.ryside in addition to assisting literate people in , the
use of these libraries. For th.is purpose, '.in addition to ordi-
nary boo,ks, pa,mphlets and magazines, supplied by the district
boards, the best available literature on agricultural, co-opera-
tive and health subjects and other topics of special interest
to the village commonity is supplied by the Rural Community.
Board which also provides the librarian's allowancesd’^®*
382 United Provinces
The influence of the Second Law seems to have even reach-
ed the neighbouring province. We are told, “ Another impor-
tant scheme, namely, the establishment of circulating and
travelling libraries in districts was launched by the United
Provinces Government during the period under review. In
1924, that Government decided to establish, as an experi-
mental measure in 1925-26, circulating libraries in a few
selected districts in accordance with the recommendations
of a Committee appointed to advise Government on this and
allied matters. Three districts were accordingly selected for
185
L.S. — 12
382
five LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
this purpose in 1925-26 and the district boards concerned were
given arants. The scheme was extended to one more district
in 1926-27 and it is reported that the experiment has met
with a fair measure of success.”*®^
383 Government of India
Indeed the Second Law seems to have secured the sympathy
of even the Government of India. The Educational Commis-
sioner with that Government was one of the earliest converts
to the cause of ‘Books for All.” Whatever the coming re-
forms may do with the office of the Commissioner, let us
hope and pray that the Provincial Ministers of Education will
take early steps to realise his anticipation that “ libraries will
occupy a prominent position in the field of education in the
near future and that their influence will be exercised far and
wide throughout the country.’””
384 Bengal
Our Ben<»alee brethren have formed a Library Association
to spread the message of the Second Law in their province.
385 Baroda
It is only in Baroda that it has been given the fullest facili-
ties to provide Books for All. In the words of the Dewan
of Baroda, “ The Library Movement in Baroda is part of a
carefully devised programme of mass education inaugurated
and developed by His Highness the Maharaja Saheb ... A
scheme for free public libraries on a grant-in-aid basis was
introduced in 1910, and to-day has grown up from humble
beginning a network of prant, town, village and travelling
libraries, which serve over 60 per cent of the population of
the State.
3851 Achievement
“ The centre of these activities is the library in Baroda with
its adjuncts, the Oriental Institute, the women’s library, the
juvenile library and the visual instruction branch. Then come
186
.SECOND LAW .AND -ITS D.IGVI,JAYA 3871.
the town libraries, 45 in' number 'with 1.9,000
readers and 222,000 books. Lower down iri .the scale are 661
village libraries with over 37,000 readers and more, than
250,000 books; while villages .which do not own l.ibraries are
..served by the travelling libraries section which in 1926-27
circulated 418 boxes with 13,400 books to 123 centres/’
386 Andhra Desa
' Going further south, we see a bumper crop of libraries
' that shot forth at the close of the last decade in the land of
the Andhras. The Andhra Desa Library Association has been
largely responsible for this.
387 Madras
But Madras has now, a three-year old Library Association
which has already succeeded in inducing the. State Govern-
ment to give a chance for the Con,nemara Public Library to
develop as a central reservoir library. It has also succeeded
in inducing the Districts of Chingleput and Malabar to make
a small beginning of a District Library Scheme. It has pub-
lished lists of books suitable for popular use and instituted a
Summer School to prepare well-informed votaries to serve
the Second Law and its sisters. It carries on a publicity cam-
paign to dispose the public mind favourably towards lib-
raries and books.’' It has secured the happy co-operation of
the premier University of the State, whom it has induced to
recognise the importance of Library Movement first by
arranging for a course of University Lectures on the Laws of
Library Science and later by taking over the Summer School
under its academic care.
3871 Indigenous Finance
With all that, it is doubtful if it can gather the momentum
necessary to carry the Second Law through the colossal resi-
stance confronting it. The causes that contribute to the resis-
tance are many — political, economic, linguistic, financial, and
so on. This resistance will readily melt away, if Madras can
187
Mathmihfpciiis md the landed' aristocracy can easily do foi
Madras what Carnegie did for -Great Britain and America.
But niifortiiiiately, with some. rare exceptions,, their gospel of
wealth appears to be still what we observed to be current in
SoBtli America, their donations going rather to religious,
and charitable bodies A
3872 Indigenous Agencies
India belongs to the British Empire and may hope to have:
the benefit of the: provisions of the amended charter of the
. Carnegie Corporation of New York. But,, it is doubtful if
India will catch the eye of the Carnegie Corporation in. the'
near future. Nor have we the A^uts of Holland to so charm,
the people into a , reading mood as to start their own libraries,
without W'aiting .for the initiative of the Local Bodies. No
doubt we have old bottles like the Chitalishtas of Bulgaria
and the Astras of Rumania. But the question, is who can and.'
will put the new wine into such old bottles.
3873 Source of Inspiration
All that - the Madras Library Association can do is to be a.
willing ally and a publicity agent of the Second Law as the
Polish Library Association was, if a more resourceful and
influential body can put its weight on its side. If there is one
outstanding lesson that the history of the Digvijaya of the
Second Law brings out clearly, it is the responsibility of the
Minister of Education in providing Books for All, It is not
America, it is not South Africa, it is not Holland, it is not
England that points us the way to fulfil the mandates of the
Second Law, It is the .new Governments of Central and
Eastern Europe and the old Governments of North Western
Europe that give us the clue. It is the example of the
Ministries of Education of Czechoslovakia, Finland, Sweden,
Denmark, Japan and Hawaii that should inspire our Ministry
S E C O N D LAW AN'D ■. ITS ' D IG V I J A Y A 388“
388 ' Manu's Maxim ' ■
We cannot end this rapid sketch- of '.the Woiid-Conqiiering
Expeditioii of the Second Law. of Library Science more ap-
propriately than by praying, -in- all' sincerity, for tlie speedy
success of the Second Law in India- as 'well and b}-' femindirig
our Ministers of Education, that- the example of their brethren
ill the other progressive nations is b.ut in close consonance
with tbe precept of oiir ancierd la W“g.!ver :
“ To carry knowledge to the doors of those that lack it a.iid
to educate all to perceive the right ! .
Even to give away the whole- earth cannot equal that form
'of^.se,r?iceT'
*? 354 5T tt
189
CHAPTER 4
SECOND LAW AND ITS IMPLICATIONS
40 Scope
In the last chapter we had a ride round the world in the
wake of the World-Conquering Expedition of the Second Law.
While in its camp, it would be an advantage if we investigate
the full implications of its message and make a study of what
it would involve if the Second Law is to be entertained on an
adequate scale. The study of the implications of the Second
Law will be easier if we consider it in the form ‘ Every Per-
son His Book.’ Of these four words, it is ‘Every’ and ‘His’
that keep the secret of the implications. Hence, it would be
proper to devote some time to each of these words.
401 Implications OF “Every”
The consequences of putting the emphasis on ‘ Every ’ can
be inferred from the common saying : — “ Varied
is the taste of the world ’’ to which we may add “ Varied are
the requirements of the readers.” The question to be con-
sidered is: What, then, are the obligations irvolved in an
undertaking to provide everyv person his book? It may be
convenient to examine them under four categories — (1) the
obligations of the State, (2) the obligations of the Library
Authority, (3) the obligations of the Library Staff, and (4) the
obligations of the readers themselves.
41 Obligation of the State
The obligations of the State centre round (a) finance, (i)
legislation, and (c) co-ordination. Of these, the last obligation
will be of help in reducing the first obligation to a minimum
and the second is usually the means of defining the manner
of discharging the other two.
190
:SECOND LAW A N D 'iTS IM P L I € ATIO N S 4!2
411 Finance
We may start from the axiomatic statenieiit that a
sary factor for the maintenance of a library system^ which
can render satisfactory book-service to every member of a
coiiiTnuiiity, is finance. Finance seldom falls from heaven like
Manna, It was only in pre-historic Israel that the Lord, said,
Behold, I will raine bread from heaven for you, and ^ the
people shall goe out, and gather a certain rate every day.’’
For some reason best known to Himself, the. Lord seems to
have nov/ given up such direct action and never says^
'‘Behold, I will' rain rupees from heaven for you; and the
libraries shall go out, and gather a certain rate every day.’’
Hence, each community has to find, ail by itself, the finance
necessary^ for the maintenance of its libraries. If it is lucky to
have in its midst millionaires, who are guided by 'Carnegie’s
Gospel of wealth, it may exempt many of its members from
the contribution of their quota. If not, each member must
put in his share and it is the business of the State to fix the
levy and arrange for its prompt collection. It may either ask
the Central Government ..to collect and hand it over to . the
library authorities or empower the Local Bodies to collect it
themselves and spend it on their respective libraries, or it may
distribute the burden between them in any proportion.
41 2 'Library Tax
The moment the word, library-tax, is uttered, it appears to
take the breath away from our ministers. When they regain
their breath, they often give the standard ..excuse, ‘‘ There
will be a hue and cry. There will be down right opposition.”
One possible rejoinder for this may be Do they give up
collecting every tax which is opposed ? ” But, if they happen
to be themselves unconvinced of the message of the Second
Law and of the need for providing funds to get the benefit
of that message, it may not be out of place to present to
them the economic bearing of the message “Books for
All.”
191
412! Econoiiiics' of. ■■ Library 'F
The people of any coniniimity are its greatest economic
asset— worch in rupees several times, iiio,re than all its malerial
property. E\ery thing, .that conserves this human asset and
helps to make it nio.re producth^e and vaUiabieJs of
economic value to the 'community. Schools and libraries are
two of the most important p'ublic institiitions for ’improving
economic value of this human, asset, even apart from its far
more impo.rtaiit spiritiial val^ This economic value offiie
people is a very real O'lie, even though .most of us never ihink
of the vastiiess of this human, wealth in terms of rupees,
annas., pies. The data collected .by the, great lifevirisurance
companies would lead one to an' imderstaridiiig of the tre-
mendous economic value of hiimaii beings in the mass and tine
vast possibilities of i.iicrea.sing thiS' value through the supply
of .Books for All.
4122 .Human Wealth
Here a.re the condiisions of the Metropolitan Life fiisiir-
mice Company on the economic value of the people of the
United States, as based on the studies made by their teclnricai
staff. The materia! wealth of the United States in 1922 was
$.321,000,000,000— an inconceivable sum.. The economic value
of the people of the United States that year was five ti.mesas
great — more than fifteen .hundred billion of dollars — over one
trillion, fi.ve Jiiindred 'billion of dollars ... And y;et in all our
discussions of taxatio.n we are in the habit of giving vastly
more consideration to material wealth than to human wealth.
Studies such as those of the Metropolitan indicate the tre-
mendous importance of schools and libraries in developing the
economic value of our '..people, for it has been demonstrated
many, many times that the average properly educated person
is of much greater economic value to the community as well
as to himself than an uneducated
4123 Act of Statesmanship
However, a knowledge of this tremendous value— the grea-
192
414
SECOND LAW AND ITS DiGVlJAYA
test natural resource of -every community as' well' as of
country as a whole — ^is rarely realised -by the general tax-payer.'
It is the business of the statesman, who is at the helm of
affairs, to perceive it clearly and, instead of taking refuge
under the unwillingness of the short-sighted tax-payer, to take
a bold step forward. Then, he is sure to get encomiums sho-
wered on him or on his memory for such bold action, in the
days to come. The statesman is put at the head of affairs just
to inaugurate such far-seeing measures, ' not within the ken of
ordinary men, and not merely to run the well-established
machinery of administration. Few are the ■ statesmen who
possess this far-sightedness and courage of conviction. ,
413 Response OF People
As for the people who are served, if they get the books they
want when they want them, and if they are made to realise, by
actual experience, that the libraries exist but to serve their
interests, it will not be long before they rejoice to see the
library item on their tax bill. Indeed the experiences of coun-
tries, where it is now held to be a worthy expenditure of
public funds for the State to offer its citizens a free service of
books, point to that conclusion. To give but one example,
‘‘In 1850 the Public Libraries Bill (of England) was carried
by a majority of 17 only. In 1919, it was carried without a
divisioii.”^^'’ Perhaps it may be instructive to trace, in greater
detail, the slow but steady melting away of the opposition to
the library-tax, as the advantages of public library service
began to reach the masses, although it had to be thrust
down their throat, in the first instance.
414 Example from Great Britain
Prompted among other things by a paper of Edward
Edwards entitled “A Statistical view of the principal public
libraries in Europe and the United States of North America,^"
read before the Statistical Society of London on 20 March
1848/^^ Mr. William Ewart gave notice fora Select Committee
' 414; LI BR AR Y ' SCIE'N C.E, ■ ;
■■'.on the need for provision of pnbliC' librariesfin .ttie^^^a
; .;of the same year;
4141 Act of 1850 ■.
; On 14'Feto 1850— after the receipt of the report
;Of ' the Select Committee— the same gentleman moved the
' House of' Commons for leave to ■ introduce ' a modesf and
purely permissive Bill for enabling Town Councils' to estab-
lish Fublic Libraries and Museums by levying a rate not
exceeding one half-penny in the pound, - on the general assess™
■ ment of the town. In opposing this inoffensive permissive,
measure, which imposed an. affirmative vote of two-thirds of
the- rate-payers for adoption of the Act in any Town, Mr.
Buck ■ proclaimed that “the additional ' taxation, which the
Bill ■ p,roposes, at a time when the nation is so gene, rally im-
poverished^ is considered a great grievance by the manufac-
turing as well as the landed interests of the couiitry/V
Another, Mr. Goulburn, sided with the opposition pleading
that' “ the poorer rate-payers, who would have either no time
for reading or might live at a considerable distance ... would
yet have to bear their full share of the expense.” Mr. Bernal
chimed in with the remark that the Bill would “ enable any
Town-council, desirous of carrying into effect the views of
any small section of the inhabitants, to tax the general body
of rate-payers for an institution which might soon degenerate
into a mere political club.” Mr. Spooner “almost feared
that, by the institution of lectures hereafter, these libraries
might be converted into Normal Schools of Agitation.”
After this series of outbursts, a division was taken. The Ayes
were 118, the Noes 101.
4142 Ludicrous Mutilation
The opposition was pertinaciously continued at every sub-
sequent stage and the patience of the promoters of the Bill
was sorely tried. Several narrowing modifications were thrust
into the Bill and six divisions had to be taken, until, at
_ last, in a tattered form it received the Royal assent, on 14
194
SECOND LAW.' .-iND.; ITS IMPLICATIONS 4144
August 1850. A ludicrous- mutilation^ that .'the . guerilla
warfare of the opposition introduced into' the Act, left the
forination of the library to chance-gifts by precluding the
. purchase even of a single book with municipal funds, while
the' guardians, of these funds were permitted, if they pleased,
to incur any lavish expenditure for buildings and furniture.
But it was felt that it bravely broke the ice and, however
crude, contained the seeds of a wiser legislation for the
future: ■
4143 Amendment of 1854
When,.' however, Mr. Ewart moved in 1854 for leave to in-
troduce an Amending Bill, the opposition was much milder.
Mr. Caldwell expressed his conviction that the whole coun-'
try was greatly indebted to the Honourable gentleman -for
the pains he had taken with- this subject.” Another Right
Honourable gentleman was of opinion that '' these institutions
had been ■ most beneficial ” and added that his constituents
‘‘' were extremely anxious for the extension of the principle.”
The active opposition was confined practically to the two old
diehards, Buck and Spooner. The final division gave 64 Ayes
and -22 Noes, although -the maximum leviable rate was dou-
bled. In 1866, by another Amending Act the majority neces-
sary for adoption of the provisions of the Act was reduced
■from" two-thirds to one-half.^^-*^ ■
4144 Act of 1919
The peculiar power of the Second Law to gradually melt
away opposition, provided a statesman with vision takes it
up, is amply borne out by the fact that the 1919 Act, which
altogether removed the hampering limit to the library rate
and empowered any library authority to levy any rate it liked
for library purposes, was passed, as we saw, without a single
division. Indeed the opposition to Library Legislation resem-
bles the arguments against the art of swimming. One might
say that unless a man could float he could not swim and that
unless he could first swim he could not float. And, iyet, this
195
4144 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
arm-chair logic is stultified by the action of the man of faith,
who, leaping and struggling, finds that he can swim.
415 Melting Away of Opposition
The power of the Second Law to melt away opposition is
the direct result of the education imparted by the supply to
Every Person of His Book. We saw in the second chapter
how a judicious supply of useful books, sent at a venture
quite unasked to a fruitgrower in a village in Cambridgeshire,
opened his eyes to the value of books. Certainly he would no
longer grudge paying his quota to his county library service.
And, after all, the creation of a favourable public opinion
really consists in the creation and integration of such indi-
vidual opinions.
416 Legislation
Exactly similar has been the history and experience of ail
the nations that made an attempt at library legislation in the
nineteenth century. But the nations that then adopted a policy
of “ wait and see ” are like the man who postponed locking
his stable door. They now attribute their backward position,
in the economic rivalry of the world, to the delay they thus
caused in the supply of Books for All and are straightaway
plunging into compulsory legislation. They seem to rely on
the Mimamsa maxim sr smra; “Never was the
world unlike what it is at present ” and the similar dictum,
ST OTg; “Nowhere is the world unlike what
it is here.” Many countries are now fast following the lead
of Czechoslovakia in straightaway putting into force a com-
pulsory Public Library Act, with a definite time-scheme for
the establishment of Universal Library Service.
417 APPEAL TO India
Neither Madras nor any province of India should hesitate
any longer to adopt a proper Public Library Act and to spend
the little money that is needed to enhance the value of their
196
:SE:C:0'N.D, LAW AN'D ITS IM P L I C A.T'IO N S , ■ 418"
hiimaE asset SO as to bring, it to the level it has attained In
the other coiintries of the world.
418 A Departmental Conference
Present:— .
■ L The Development Minister.
' 2. The Finance Minister.
3. The Edxieation Minister.
4. The Director of Public Instruction.
5. The Director of Public Health.
6. The Director of Industries.
7. The Director of Agriculture.
8. The Director of Rural Reconstruction.
The Second Law also was^ by special invitation, present.
The Development Minister: Gentlemen, with your permis-
sion, I shall first convey to the distinguished lady the
most sincere welcome of our Government. It is signi-
ficant that, unlike other distinguished visitors from
overseas, she has spent a year amidst our commoners,
before giving us a chance to show her the State’s
hospitality.
Coming to business, this conference is a direct out-
come of the activities of our distinguished guest. Her
mission is to provide Books for All. It is a problem
bristling with difficulties.
The Education Minis\er : Thanks to the propaganda of the
Second Law, I’m sure I can’t face my constituency,
unless something is done before the next election.
My colleague referred to the difficulties. The main
difficulty is that of Finance. I trust my other colleague
will give his generous help in this ail-important work
of National Education.
The Finance Minister : I shall be most happy, if I can be of
any'help in the matter. But, I don’t see any way of
finding money except by additional taxation. You
know what that would lead to.
197
418
■FIVE:, LAWS .OF '.'LIBRARY SGIE.HCE,
.qf ' PuMie Instruction : Now that; inance. ;has",
been . me,ntioiiedj I may say at once that'.lt 'is inan- : ,
^ : eially .; nm is penny-wise and poiiiid-foolisli ,
- that expression— to , spend anniiatly
6*95" crores. of rupees on the Elementary , Educa- .
of cliildren'and to plead lack of funds “for ■
the' establishment of suitable' village libraries to V /■ ' '
keep them literate and to extend 'the bounds of their
knowledge, after their formal , schooling ceases,’’ I
don’t know, if the Minister for Finance, is aware that ^ :
not less than “39 per cent of the children educated
relapse into illiteracy within five years, of their leaving
school.” Is this economy of Public Funds?
The Education Minister : There is no doubt that we must
take a long view of things.
The Second Law: Gentlemen, if I may interrupt you at this
stage, I shall read out an extract from an address to ■ ■■
the Efficiency Club by the Parliamentary Secretary to
the Board of Education of the United Kingdom,
“One of the principal considerations that weighed
with Parliament in passing the Continuation School
Clauses of the Act was that under the system as it
existed at that time, the sums spent in elementary edu-
cation between the ages of five and fourteen were to
great extent wasted — mark the words — by the absence
•of further provision for the children, and it is only
when the continuation schools — I shall add * and Pub-
lic Libraries’ — are in proper working order that we
shall obtain benefit for what we are now spending on
our elementary schools.”
The Education Minister: I have read that address of Mr.
Herbert Lewis with some care. I have made some
notes from it; “The situation is full of difficulty. But
may I remind you that there is a very great quantity
of work to be done at the present time at a compara-
tively trifling cost?” Now, I shall implore my friend,
who is generous enough to grant us seven crores to
198
SECOND^ ;an-d' its implications 41 J “
pBrcliase literacy , ' to -give, least seventy lakhs, tc
begin with,' to retain that: literacy. ■Surely he sees
wisdom in sanctioning a certain recurring percentage
of the 'capital cost to the Department of Public Work^
to keep their buildings • in' good repair. I only want
what amounts toa similar maintenance charge. , ^
The Director of RuraV Reconstruction : I join the Education
Minister in Ms appeal to his colleague. The library as
an instrument of education has too often been neglec-
ted ... What India wants to-day,' besides the ordinary
school and college libraries, are small public libraries ,
■ of which there are very few ... These libraries, one
of which should be found in each important village,
will cater for the needs of both the English knowing
and the vernacular reading public.®^®
My work in the village is largely handicapped by
the absence of . libraries. There is no means of keeping
the ideas alive and making them grow in the people’s
minds.
The Director of Agriculture : I may say the same about the
work of my department.
All the valuable work we carry on at Pusa and
Coimbatore are like pumping water into a huge city
reservoir, which ought to be, but is not provided with
distribution-pipes.
The Second Law : I found practically all your publications
used with interest, by the farmers at Reading.
The Director of Public Instruction : There you are. Reading
has a library. We don’t have it. That makes all the
diiSerence.
The Finance Minister: I am not so sure. You remember we
had a Publicity Bureau, not long ago. That used to
distribute most of your publications free in tons to
each village. That has demonstrated the inertia of our
people, the unwillingness of our people to learn.
The Development Minister: I am afraid I should ask my
learned friend to refresh Ms memory with the recent
199
418 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENGE
^ Royal Commission on Agriculture. I
would particularly invite his attention to the conclud-
ing sentence of the Commissioners— I quote from p. 90
of the Abridged report, yMch. in fact is identical with
what occurs in p. 674 of the Main report— Our en-
quiry has convinced us that, -given the opportunity —
mark that word — the cultivators of India will be found
willing and able to apply in progressive degree the
Services of Science and of organisation to the business
of agricultural production.”
I quite agree, however, that these pamphlets of the
Publicity Bureau went straight into -the oven. But
Why?—
The Second Law: Because a postman handing over a packet
of printed slips is not like a librarian who establishes
contact between books and people.
The Director of Agriculture : I am obliged to the distinguished
lady for putting her finger on the right spot. I was
about to say, we spend several crores a year on pre-
paring a grand feast of Agricultural Improvements,
but we omit to invite the guests and we grudge to
pay for service.
The Development Minister: Surely, that white elephant of
the new Imperial Council of Research may wait. My
friend will perhaps get a better return for his money
by placing that sum at the disposal of the Second Law
of Library Science. We go on making things top-
heavy.
The Finance Minister : Its creation is due to the Royal Com-
mission,^"' you quoted from.
The Director of Agriculture : If you swear by one recommen-
dation of that Commission it is difficult to see why
another — perhaps a more vital — recommendation
should be quietly passed over.
The Finance Minister : What are you referring to,?
The Director of Agriculture : I shall read from the Report. I
think, it is at page — .
200
SECOND LAW AND ITS IM P L I C AT I O N S ' 418
The Second 'Law: Page 672^ please.
The Director of AgricuUme : Thank . you. Right you are.
Here is what they say, Throughout our Report, we
have endeavoured to ' make plain our conviction that
no substantial improvement in Agriciilture can be
effected unless the cultivator has the will to take
advantage' of the ■ opportunities which ' science, wise
laws and good administration may place at his dis-
. posaL Of all the factors making for prosperous agri-
culture, by far the most important is the outlook of
the peasant himself.'’ Now, what is the amount that
. the budget provides for this ' by far the most import-
ant’ recommendation? Again, "'This, in the main, is
determined by his environment.”
The Second Law : I only demand a place for books in that
environment.
The Director of Agriculture : They proceed to lay down " We
have no hesitation in affirming that the responsibilities
required to effect this improvement rests with Govern-
ment.”
The Finance Minister : My friend is discreetly abstaining from
reading the next sentence :
" The realisation of this important truth has led, in
recent years, to a large increase in expenditure on
the departments concerned with rural welfare.”
The Development Minister : Then I must certainly read out
also the sentence after that. " None the less, we feel
that its force is inadequately appreciated by the Govern-
ment of India and by Local Governments and that the
necessity that the rural problem should be attacked as
a whole, and at all points simultaneously, is still in-
sufficiently present to their minds. We cannot but
think that the failure to grasp the full significance of
the proposition we have laid down in some measure
explains the absence of any coordinated attempts to
effect that change in the psychology of the
peasant without which there can be no hope.”
201
L.s. — 13 ■ '
The Director of Rural Reconstruction Ccitmnly/' no hop
Every iBinute of my life ! am realising the practical
wisdom of these words. I often find the Agricultiiral
Propagandist rushing through the village with Ms de-
inonstration-van. As soon as. he. leaves the vMlage, the
effect of liis demonstration ' disappears.
■The Second Law : If there is a village library — a live library
with a live ■ librarian — that won’t happen. To gather
back the money' sunk in the Agricultural service^ to
gather it for the uplift- of the country, to convert the
product into an' available form, you must give 'Every
Peasant HIS Books.
Certainly, it cannot be considered wise or economi-
cal to turn down the National Library Scheme on
grounds of Finance.
The Director of Public Health: The constant effort of my
Department to obtain for the nation the best value
for all it spends is equally thwarted by lack of public
libraries.
The Second Law : The United States of America considers the
cost of her great library service as a valuable insurance
premium for health insurance.
The Director of Rural Reconstruction : I agree. One great les-
son that my experience has taught me is this : Nothing
is more certain than the fact that the physical advance-
ment and health of mankind is dependent, not upon a
physician’s efforts, but upon the whole social evolution
of the people. Now, these desired ends are not reached
merely by announcing them, still less by leaving things
to chance, drift, or fate. There is need everywhere for
an educated and enlightened public opinion* Only an
educated people is an effective people in combating
disease and people cannot be educated without an
efficient net-work of Public Libraries.
The Finance Minister : Is it suggested that the Public Library
should concern itself with a work that is'priinarily the
business of the Department of Public Health ?
202
The Second Law : Yes and No. No, if it relates in any way
to the handling of disease ; yes, in the dissemination
of knowledge, that will save life and make the com-
munity more healthful and joyous in work and life.
The Director of Public Instruction: I quite realise that we
pay very inadequate attention to this side of education
■ at school.' Nor do we have a system of free libraries,
where people may inform themselves of the laws of
physiology and iiealth.
The Director of Public ■ Health : That is why India's death-
rate is double that of England and Wales. Her infan-
tile mortality - -is about 4^ times that of New Zealand.
In India the expectation of life at 5 is approximately
35 years as against 54 in Great Britain. Put in another
way, of 100,000 boys born alive in Denmark more
than half would be living at age 65, while in British
India just about half would be dead at age 11.^'^®
The Second Law : Certainly- it is no wonder, if we remember
the wonderful library system of Denmark. ‘Books
FOR All ’ is Denmark’s motto and that has paid her—
The Finance Minister : Does the distinguished lady mean to
suggest that if we plant libraries here, the boy who
dies at 1 1 will live up to 65 !
The Director of Industries : That remark is neither fair nor
correct. All that she means is that public opinion,
well and constantly fed on Public Libraries, would
more than anything else support all sane movements
towards better sanitation and protection from infec-
tious diseases ; and more wholesome views as to food
and clothing, exercise and fresh air and sober-living/'*®'^
which would, in the long run, increase the average
• life.
The Director of Public Health : The Honourable Minister will
perhaps appreciate the view of the distinguished visitor
if it is put thus : The correlation-coefficient between
the provision of Public Libraries and the level of
Public Health is positive and gets to be fairly large in
203
4i:8
FIVE.. tAws/'OF librar;y:..sci;EN:Ce":^^
.coiirse.of time: ■
The Director of Mural Reconstruction : The Public Library is
ill, a better position, than any other civic institution to
' dilFiise knowledge to all classes in the community.
The Education Minister : It should, .therefore, be a positive
., aggressive dynamic force to' make knowledge within its
keeping count Tor individual and comirmnal well-
being.
The Director of Industries : I say Amen'’ to all that my co-
directors say. Modern industrial progress . without
Public Library Service is like attempting to run a car
without the axle.
The Finance Minister: From the warmth with which words
are flowing from the tips of my friends, I am afraid, I
have to infer that they are under the illusion that I
am quite oblivious, of the value of books and libraries.
I may tell them at once that that is not my difficulty.
Our problem is to find ways and means to raise the
necessary funds. As I said, I am at a loss —
The Development Minister : Yes, that is what I feel too. It is
better we put our heads together and solve the pro-
blem of Library Finance. Perhaps, the distinguished
lady can enlighten us with what she might have obser-
ved in her extended travels.
The Second Law: It is usually met in one or ail of three
ways : (1) Local rates, (2) Grant-in-aid from Govern-
ment, and (3) Private benefactions and endowments.
The Education Minister : The last category mentioned by the
Second Law brings to my mind our vast Religious
Endowments, which now appear to be hardly well
used.
The Finance Minister : That is an idea. Quite an enormous
portion of the wealth of the country is tied up in these
medieval institutions. Certainly we must modernise
the form of these charities. At any rate, if it is done
we need not feel sorry that a Carnegie was not born
in India.
204
The Development Mifmter : True. But, there may be legal
difficulties in the way.
The Director of Public Instruction : We may get it examined
The finance Minister: And if necessary bring in suitable
■ legislation. ■ ^ .
The Second Law : Such endowments ■ can only give a start.
. But money for the annual up-keep should be found
. locally; Local responsibilities should be left on local
■ ■ shoulders. .
The Finance Minister : .Theii will be very difficiiit to bring
about.
The Second , Law : ■ 1 shall ■ only ■ point out that the experience
in other countries clearly proves that once people begin
to enjoy the benefitsof a well-conducted library service,
they cheerfully vote to pay for that service.
The Development Minister : Let us assume, for the present, —
The Finance Minister : I am not so sure.
The Second Law : If you will bear with me, I can prove, by
a priori reasoning as well as the example in other coun-
tries, that the money you spend on libraries comes
back to you in the long run tenfold. It would come
back in the shape of economy due to the improved
civic sense and habits of the citizens, in the shape of
greater human-power due to the higher average life, in
the shape of increased out-put of production due to
greater skill in the workers, in the shape of better
balance of trade due to more informed methods of
marketing — in short, public and private finance are
not alike.
The Finance Minister : That is all right. But —
The Education Minister : There can’t be any but in this matter.
As the Right Honourable J. R. Clynes said. once:
We spend enormous amounts of public money on a
great many objects, and so much money has been ex-
pended on all manner of causes, and for all manner of
, purposes, that we cannot any longer say that we cannot
205
418
FIVE -LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE - V
afford the public. moiiey „for any purpose of this sort.
Indeed, we cannot afford any longer to save public
money in this , way and, stop ourselves in regard to what
is now one ^ of the'-most'- importaiit purposes of our
public activity.- 1 do ' not..regard money, whether it be
laid out privately -or through .the public purse, as an
outlay completely spent without return, when, we pay
out ill conHCction with any. educational purpose. It is
not expenditure .in . that ' sense, in' the sense that it is
money paid over and done with it ' comes back in'
worthier forms. , -To ..the' extent .that we, imp.rove,
say, the average • man-' .or woman., educationally, there
is iBiprovement' '..'The,, .man who: . loves. , books,
who likes to read, .whether in the libraiy or in
home, depend upon"- it, is usually a better man Ilian,
the man who never.' troubles his head about books at,
ail It is a most serious' thing for the future of : any
coiiiiiry to have a Democracy which is not educated, to
have a democracy which is' depe.ndent upon the pen'Ey
newspapers or the penny pictorial, or whatever it 'may.
be, so that ....the'' work -: has' to be begun, aiid—no
matter what discouragements you feel in the earlier
stages of an effort' of - this sort, the greater the, dis-
couragement, the greater the energy in that purpose,
or the immense usefulness of such purposes, — is bound
to benefit the State as a whole . . .
The Development Minister : I was saying that, assuming that
a careful levy of taxation , is possible, we should like
to have further advice from the Second Law regarding
, practical details. , . , , , ,
The Second Law: If you add to your brilliant galaxy of
Directors, a Director of Public Libraries, he will look
Perhaps, I may add that, even before your Director
is appointed, you may get a modest library legislation
brought into force.
The Development Minister': That is exactly what 1 wanted.
206
, ..SECOND LAW .AND ITS .I.MFXIC.ATION.S . 418
: ■ Will : you mmd staying a little longer^ so that we may
the main clauses' of a suitable Library
Bill
The Second Law : I anticipated this. I have already drafted a.
Bill for Madras and another for the Union of
with the assistance of some of your Dt.rectors and
' your Drafting Secretary. With, slight, modifications the
■ former can be used by other provinces as well
The Finance Minister : Have you copies with you?
The Director of Public Instruction:. Yes. Here are enough
copies.
The Second Law : lam reminded of an extraoixtinary way
wliicli an American State has made c/me a source of
' Library Finance.
The Development Minister : How can crime develop libraries.?
The Second Lmv.* The Constitution of Michigan, ever since
its inception in 1835 down to this day, has been, ha.vi.ng
a provision whereby the proceeds from all penal Tines
collected for' the violation of State Laws are set aside
for library use; the amount thus appropriated being
more than 15 lakhs of rupees per annum.
The Director of Public Instruction : We had something similar
here.
The Finance Minister : Really! What is it?
'"'The ■ Education Minister: I believe our friend refers' to The'
Fine-Hall of one of our Andhra' Colleges. You see,' ^
we had a resourceful Principal who accumulated all
fine collections and built with it a general assembly
hall, which is also used to house the college library.
The Director of Industries: Another Principal, who is a
friend of mine, has utilised all such fines for decorating
the college walls, with a Fine- Arts collection.
The Development Minister: Let us hear more from the dis*
tinguished lady about the working of that extraordi-
nary provision in the Michigan Constitution.
The Second Law: The penal fines collected in each county
remain in the county and are distributed annually to
207
4m
F 1 ¥,E, /L A W,S OF L I BR A R ¥ , S C l E N C E
the 'district, of the coiiiity acGording to the
populatioii. The largest amount of penal fines Tor lib-
raries in one of the counties was realised when a iiiiin-
ber of officials and others were^ fined and some. .sent to
prison in.' connection with a water-supply scandal, in-,
■volviiig bribery in a conspiracy to tie 'up a city in a
contract with a private concern. The city received its
share of these fines and the library immediately invest-
ed several hundred dollars in books on every phase of
water-purification, with the hope that ■ they might con-
tribute something to the city’ s unsolved pure water
problem/'^'’'
The Finance Minister : This is indeed a very illuminating
instance.
Let us now adjourn for lunch. We may meet to-
morrow at II. That will give us some time to look
through the Draft Library Bills, so that we may discuss
them later with more intimate knowledge and greater
facility.
42 State Library Act
Library Act for the State of Granthajagat
Whereas it is expedient to provide for the establishment
and maintenance of a system of Public Libraries and for the
comprehensive development and organisation of city, rural
and other classes of library service in the State of Grantha-
jagat,
It is hereby enacted as follows : —
Chapter 1
PRELIMINARY
II. (I) This Act may be called, ‘ The Libraries Act, 1945
(2) It shall extend to the whole of the State of Gran-
Sfiort Title thajagat.'' , '
208
S.TATE LIBRARY ■LEGISL ATIO.N,
42
\ In this Act, unless there - is anything repugnant in the
subject or context ; . "
• Ai) Librarian’ means the officer.' appointed by
^ the Government of the State to perform the
DeimtiOHS ■ , . ■ ^ -t • ■
duties oi State Librarian.
, (2) ‘Public Library ’ means a library including its bran-
ches and delivery stations established ' or maintained and
managed by a Local Library Authority under this Act.
(3) ‘ Departmental Library ’ means a library established
or maintained by a Department of Govermiient of the State.
(4) ‘ Outlier Library ’ means a Library in the State
other than those belonging to any of the above-mentioned
■categories.
Chapter 2
STATE LIBRARY AUTHORITY
21. For the purpose of promoting and organizing a library
State Library system in. the State of Granthajagat, the
Aiitbority Minister of.- Education (hereinafter referred
to as the Minister’) shall be the State Libra,ry Authority.'
211. It shall be the duty of the State Library Authority to
Duty of the provide for an adequate library service in the
State Library , State of ■ Granthajagat and for progress.ive
Autfionty development of institutions devoted to the
purpose, and to secure the effective execution by Local Bodies,
under its control and direction, of the national policy for
providing adequate Library Service in every area.
22. To help it in the discharge of its duties, the State
Library Authority shall appoint a full- timed
State Librarian from among those with ade-
quate' qualifications to practise in the library profession, lay
down the conditions of his':se,rvice and provide him with the
necessary establishment.
221. Subject to the control of the State Library Authority,
the State Librarian, shall",' '
(1) manage the State Central Library ;
209
State Librarian
42
F1,¥.;E /LA W'S,;'0F;.LIBK-AR science,; ,
(2) superinteiid, direct ; and deal with all matters relate
Biities of file State Copyright Act and to the mainte-
Librarian nance and service of the reading and kindred
materials deposited with the Government iinder . the said^ Act ;
(3) superintend, direct' and .deal with the exercise of
powers and the performance of duties by Local Library
AiitJiorities under this Act ; ■ ■
. (4) ceiitfalise all impersonal technical work suc,h as
acquisition, classification and cataloguing, a,nd co»ordi.iiate
the seleetioii, service and raainteiia.nce of reading and kindred
materials in. the public, academic, . departro.e.!itaI and outlier
libraries of the Stale ;
41. maintain, the State Register of Librarians
(5) submit to the State Library Authority an annual
report o.n the progress and the working of the library system
in, the Slate ; and
(6) generally assist the State Library Aiitho,ri.ty ' and
carry on the correspondence and ' exercise the powers assign-
ed to him by it in the discharge of its duties and the e,xercise,
of its powers in regard to this Act.
23. There shall be a State Library Committee for the pur-
pose of advising the State Library .Authority'
on all matters arising under this Act.
231. The Slate Library Committee shall
consist of : —
(!) The Minister ;■
(2) The Minister, in' charge -of. Local. Sel,f-Gove.nimeiitv
or liis deputy ; ■ '
(3) The State Librarian ;
(4) The Director of Education or his deputy ;
- (5) Two persons elected by the State Legislature;
'(6) One person appointed by the Government from
among its secretaries and the heads of its departments ;
(7) One person appointed by the Executive of each of
the Universities in the State or his deputy ;
(8) One person appointed by the Executive of a Lib-
rary Association of the State approved by the Minister for
210
State Library
CoimniUee
Meoibersblp
42
'STATE L'lB.'RARY- LEG ISL AT I O^N
this parpGS€,;Or 'his .
^ (9) One person with; special know'ledge : of Library
Science appointed by' the Minister- .
■232. ..The., .Minister shall be the President aiid'.^t'ii.e. State. Lib-
PresMeitaM ■: ™*iaii shall" be the Seeretary .of the State
Secretary Library Committee. ' ■
233. Members of the' State Library Comniittee, other thari
ex-officio members, shall hold office for three
years ■■'.from the date of their election or
appoiiitineiiL as the case'may be.
234. , The -State Library Authority siiali, by rules, provide for
M-eetiiig aod constitution, the periodical -or other meet-
Procedure iiigs a.nd as to the procedure thereof, and of
the functions and duties of the State Library Coiiimitlee. ;
Term of Office
Chapter 3
LOCAL .LIBRARY AUTHORITY
31. 'For the purpose of organising and maiiilaini ng Public
Libraries, there shall be a Local Lib.rary Authority for each
Municipal Area with a population of about 50,000 or more
approved by the State Library A:UtIioriiy - for this pu.rpose’'
(h.erein.a.fter referred to as'‘ An App.roved City Area ’) and for
the area, of each of the District Boards excluding, the Approv-
ed City Areas' in it- (hereinafter r.efe.rred to as '' An Approved
Rural Area’)....- ■ ■
311. The Local Library Authority for an Approved City
City Library Area shall be the Municipal Council or City
Autiiortttes Corporation thereof (and may hereinafter be
referred to as a ‘ City Library Authority’).
312. The Local Library Authority for an Approved Rural
Rural Lilirary ihe District Board thereof’
Aiitliority {which may hereinafter be referred to as a
® Rural Library Authority’).
32. It shall be the duty of every Local Library Authority
to provide Library Service to the people of
its area.
Billy
211
42
FI ¥ E ;;,l:A W S' ■ O F; ■■l i b R a R Y s.€:l EMC E
' ,I>e,fe!op.i«eiit Plan '
Publicity
■321. : Within one year after the date of coiiiiii,eiiceiii,eiit. of
.this Act or such extended period. aS' the State
Library Authority may in any particular case
/fix or allow, every Local Library Autho.rit.y'.shall prepare. and.
■ submit to the State Library Authority a plan (liereiiiafter re*
'ferred 'to as ‘Development Plan’) '.in such form, as the State
Libra.ry Authority may direct and subject to such rules as it
may 'make for the purpose,; showing the action which the
. Local;. Library .Authority proposes should be taken for pro-
viding'adequate Library Service for the people of the area'
and the. success,ive measures by which it is proposed to ac-'
•complisli that purpose.
. ' 322. . A Local L'ibrary Authori'ty shall, before submitting its
Development Plan to the State Library Au-
thority, publish it in such manner as it may
consider suitable or as the State Library Authority may
require, and consider any representations made to it by any
person or body of persons in respect thereof.
323. After considering any representations on the Develop-
ment Plan made to it within the period of
two months after the date of its receipt, and
after making in the plan such modifications, if any, after
consultation with the Local Library Authority concerned,
as it considers necessary or expedient for the purpose of
securing that the plan makes provision for the immediate
and prospective needs of the Area with respect to Library
Service, the State Library Authority shall approve the plan
and shall give such direction to the Local Library Authority
concerned as it considers desirable for giving publicity to the
plan as approved by it.
324, The State Library Authority may, by order, extinguish
the library duties and powers of a City Lib-
rary Authority, and include its area in that
of an appropriate Rural Library Authority, when its popu-
lation falls appreciably below 50,000 or for other reasons of
efficiency, and provide for the transfer of the library property
and the library staff of the City Library Authority to the
212
Approval
Extlrigwishment
42
S T A T E LIBRA R Y L.E G I S L A T I O N
Rural .Library ' All thority and for all matters arising from the
transfer 'Of library dutieS'-and powers.
325. A” Municipality included in an Approved. ■ Rural Area
Withdrawal and population exceeds
RecogiitioE ■ 50,000, apply, to the State Library Auth.ority
for permission, to have its area withdrawn from that of the
Approved Rural Area and for its being recognised as a City
Library Authority and, after getting approval, siibinit to the
State Library Authority a Development Plan which should
include additional information about the arrangement it has
made with the Rural Library Authority in regard to the trans-
fer'' of library property and library staff to itself, and all
other matters arising from the transfer of library duties and
powers. - . '
33. As soon as may be after approving the Developin,ent
Local Library ^ Local Library Authority, , the State
Order Library Authority shall make an order to be
called, " The Local Library Order for its area, specifying the
Central Library and the Branch Libraries, including Branches,
to be located in schools, prisons and hospitals, Delivery Sta-
tions which it is the duty of the Local Library Authority to
establish and maintain and the said orders shall, to such
extent as the State Library Authority considers desirable,
define the duties of the Local Library Authority with respect
to the measures to be taken by it for providing adequate
Library Service to the people of its area and the stages in
which they should be taken.
331. The Local Library Order for an area shall regulate the
Modification duties and the powers of its Local Library
Authority in respect of the matters therein
mentioned and may be arhended by the State Library Autho-
rity whenever, in its opinion, the amendment thereof is ex-
pedient by any change of circumstances ;
provided that before amending it the State Library
Authority shall give to the Local Library Authority concern-
ed notice of the amendment proposed to be made and shall
consider any representations made by it within two months of
213
42 FIVE LAWS: OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
the service of the notice./ - - .
34. If the State Library Authority is satisfied either from a
Defeult report from its' officers or upon complaint by
any persons interested, or otherwise, that any
Local Library Authority has "grossly failed to discharge any
duty imposed on it by or for the- purpose of this Act, the State
Library Authority may make an order declaring the Local Lib-
rary Authority to be in default in respect of that duty and
giving such directions for the purpose of enforcing the execu-
tion thereof as appear to the State Library Authority to be
expedient, and any , such direciions shall be enforceable, o,!i
an, application made on behalf of - the State Library Authority,
by inandamns.
35. ,A Local Library Authority may for establis!ii,iig or-
_ gaiiising and administering its public Library
System, or for performing any duties under
this Act ; .
(!) provide siiitably-fitted buildings, books, periodicals,
news-papers, ;maps, manuscripts, lantern slides, cinema reels,
mierofiliiis and ki,nd.red materials and the necessary apparatus,'
for their projection, and reading and other necessary materials
and conveniences ;
(2) acquire, purchase or hire land, or other properties
and effect, take down, rebuild, alter, repair and extend build-
ings, and fit up, furnish and supply the same with the requisite
furniture, fittings and' conveniences-;
(3) take over any library with the previous sanction of
the State Library Authority on such conditions as may be
approved by the same authority ;
(4) discontinue any public library provided by it or
change the site of any such institution with the previous sanc-
tion of the State Library Authority ;
(5) provide lectures and such other activities as may
be conducive to the carrying out off he purpose of this Act ;
(6) accept any endowment or gift for any purpose con-
nected with this Act ;
(7) subject to any rules made by the State Library
214
STATE L I B R A R y L' E G I S L A T I O N
42
9
lAuttiority in this behalf,- organise or participate in the organi-
■satioii of conferences for the discussion of questions relating
to libraries for promoting - Library Service, and expend such
Slims as may be reasonable in paying or contributing towards
any expenditure incurred -in connection with the conferences
and exliibitionSs -incliiding the' expenses of any person aiitho-
rised by them to attend any., such conference or exhibition ;
(8) subject to .the \rules -made by the State Library
Authority in this behalf, engage -salaried officers and servants,
punish and dismiss- them ; and" "
(9) with the ■ sanction' of the State Library Authority
■do any other thing that- may-be' conducive- to- the ' fiirtherance
of the purpose of this Act-*
All niovaMe-- and ---immovable -- prope.Fti€s required or
¥estliig of Pri)- Rny-' Public Library or for any of the
perty purposes of -, this Act shall - vest in. the Local
Library Authority concerned.
36L Any immovable property required by a Local Library
, . . Authority for the purposes of this Act shall be*^
Aciiiiisitioii iiiMier ^ 7 ^
Land Acqiilsltloii deemed to be land needed for public purpose
within the meaning of the Land Acquisition
Act in force and may be acquired under that Act.
362. A Local Library Authority may, with the previous sanc-
Alienatien of tioii of the State Library Authority, sell any of
Laid its lands or buildings, and the money received
from the sale or received in part of exchange shall be used
for the purchase of other buildings or may be applied for
any purposes for which capital money may be applied under
the Act, with the sanction of the State Library Authority*
37. Where in the opinion of a Local Library Authority, the
adult population within its area or any part or class thereof
is unable by reason of illiteracy to take full advantage of
the Library Service provided by it, it may cause an enquiry '
to be made touching the conditions as regards such illiteracy,
other schemes at work for the removal of the same, the funds,
other than public funds, available for the purpose, and all
other relevant matters*
215
42
.F I¥ E' ;:L A WS;. .OPv L;! .SCIENCE,.';,' '
371. The Local Library ' Authority shall then consider the
Scheme of Remov- report of the' enquiry and submit .a scheme
al of literacy , to the State Library Authority, for considera-
tion and sanction, setting forth . proposals .as .to the manner
in, which it intends to provide for the removal of illiteracy
and the funds' it proposes to spend for the purpose. : ■
,372. Without prejudice to the powers above-mentioned, it
Co»0peratiosi- with competent to a Local Library Autho-
otliers ; rity for the like purpose,
(1) to associate itself with any person or body of per-
sons willing to co-operate in the matter ; and
(2) to aid such persons or body of persons by giving
such use of its lands, buildings and furniture, reading and
kindred materia'ls, apparatus or other ■ property, as may be
possible. ,
But save as provided in a scheme approved by the State-
Library Authority, it shall not expend monies or make grants-
for the purpose.
Chapter 4
LOCAL LIBRARY COMMITTEE AND VILLAGE
LIBRARY COMMITTEE
41. Every Local Library Authority shall, in accordance
with arrangements approved by the State Library Authority,
Local 'Library establish a Local ■ Library Committee for the-
Coisimittee elBicient discharge of its functions under this
"AgL' .
42. Every Local Library Committee shall include persons •
of experience in library work but at least a
majority shall be members of the Local Lib-
rary Authority constituting it, and it shall include the Chair-
man or the equivalent officer of the said Authority.
421. The. Chairman or the equivalent officer of the Local
ChairmaE aiw! Library Authority shall be Chairman of the
Secretary Local Library Committee, and the City or
the District Librarian, as the case may be, of the said
216
ConstltsitioE
STATE LIBR.AR'Y' LEGISLATION
42
Pelegatioss
Sii!>-Comiiiittee
Authority shall be the Secretary.
43. Every Local Library -Authority shall consider a report
from its Local Library Comniittee before ex-
Report ereisiug any- of its functions with .respect to-.
Library Service ;
provided that an Authority may dispense with such ' a
report, if, in its opinion, the -matter is: urgent, ,a!id.iD.form the
Local Library Committee about it as early thereafter as-
possible.
44. A Local Library Authority may delegate to its Local'
Library Committee any of its functions with
respect to libraries except the power of im-
posing or varying a rate, or borrowing money, or of disposing
of landed property and buildings, or of passing the budget or
of submitting the report to the State Library Authority.:
45. A Local Library Committee may, subject to such .res-
trictions as may be imposed by its Local
Library Authority, and the arrangements ap-
proved by the State Library Authority,
(1) appoint such Sub-Committees constituted in s]|cfi
manner as the Committee may determine ; and
(2) authorise any such Sub-Committees to exercise any
of its powers on its behalf.
46. A Rural Library Authority shall appoint a Village Lib-
Village Library Committee for each or any group of its
Coramtttee. - Delivery - Stations -to advise it on local re-
quirements in regard to Library Service.
46 L A Rural Library Authority shall recognise, as a Village
For Areas of ' - ' Library Committee, the Library Committee
Brandies appointed by the Municipal Council or the
Village Panchayat or its equivalent, of any area in which one
of its Branch Libraries is functioning,
47. The minutes and proceedings of a Local Library Com-
Access ta Minutes ^ Committee shall
■ " be open- to-the inspection of any rate-payer
in the area served by it, on, payment of a fee not exceeding
one rupee and any such rate-payer may make a copy thereof
217
L. s.— 14
42
FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
or an extract therefrom.
Chapter 5
STATE CENTRAL LIBRARY
5]. The State Library Authority shall establish, maintain
State Central manage a State Central Library at the
Library metropolis or any other suitable place to
function as a reservoir for the library system of the State.
511. The State Library Authority may establish, maintain
State Branch manage a State Branch Library for any
Library of its linguistic regions at any suitable place
within it.
52. The State Librarian shall be the officer to discharge
Copyright duties duties and exercise the powers laid down
and powers in parts III and V of the Press and Registra-
tion of Books Act of 1897 ; the State Central Library shall
maintain a State Bureau of Copyright to assist him in this
matter.
521. One copy of each of all printed materials received
Copyright under the Press and Registration of Books
CoHection Act of 1897, shall be kept in the State
Central Library or a State Branch Library as a separate
Copyright Library for reference within the premises of the
library but not for loan of any kind, except for production
in a Court of Law on demand by the said Court.
522. Any additional copy or copies if requisitioned under
the said Act shall be included among the stock
Copy for Loan Central Library normally avail-
able for loan.
523. A report of the working of the State Bureau of Copy-
right may be incorporated in the Annua!
Report of the State Librarian.
53. The State Central Library may maintain a State Lib-
State Library for Blind, for the production, storing
the Blind and serving of books, sound records of
books, and kindred materials, for the blind.
218
Report
STATE LI B R 'A R Y: ’ L E 0 I S L A, T I O N,;
42
53 L The State Library for the Blind may ^ collaborate with
the . National and' the other State Libraries
Collaboration for the .Blind, and undertake such work, as
may fall to its share by mutual agreement*
532. The carriage of ■ the books for the blind between the
Free Postal Central Library and the Blind readers
Transport within liidia ; shall be done by the Postal
Depa,rtiBeiit free of postal charges*.
533, A report on the working of the State Library for the
Report ■ Blind shall be incorporated in the Annual
Report of the State' Lib.rarian.
State Byrean of 54. . The State Central Library may ■ ma:i,iitaiii
Loan ^ .Bureau of Inter-Library Loan.
541. The 'State Bureau, of Iiiter»L.ibra.ry Loan may include
Extent witMii scheme of inter-library loan^ the PiiMic
the State Libraries, the Departmental Libraries and
such Outlier Libraries in the State as are willing to join, the'
scheme on such conditions as may be agreed upon.
542. The State Bureau of Inte.r-Library Loan may enter
'Extent outside the scheme of inter-state library .loan or
State international library loan as .may be agreed
upon by the participating States and the Union Government.
543. A report of the working- of the State Bu.reau of Inte.r-
Report Library Loan shall be incorporated in the
Annual Report of the State Librarian. ^
State BiWIographl- 55. The State Central Library may maintain
cal Bareaw ... , a State Bibliographical Bureau.
551. The State Bibliographical Bureau .may admit into the
Coiiaboratsois scheme of its work other agencies like the
withiB the State Departments of the Government and .Educa-
tional and Learned Bodies in the State.
552, The State Bibliographical Bureau may collaborate with
Collalwration similar bureaus or agencies of the other States
outside the State and the Union Government and undertake
such bibliographical work as may fall to its share by mutual
agreement among the participating bureaus and agencies.
219
42
five laws of library science
553 . A report of the working of the Bibliographical Bureau
shall be incorporated in the Annual Report
Report of the State Librarian.
56 A State Bureau of Technical Service may be maintain-
^ ed by the State Central Library for centralised
IXSvfce technical services like acquisition, classifica-
tion and cataloguing of books for the Public Libraries, Depart-
mental Libraries and such Outlier Libraries in the State as
are willing to join the scheme on such conditions as may be
^56T*^The°^Bureau of Technical Service may collaborate with
similar bureaus of other States and ot the
Collaboration Union Government, and undertake such tech-
nical work a's may fall to its share by mutual agreement with
the participating bureaus. . . . .
562 A report on the working of the Bureau ofTechnica
Report Service shall be incorporated m the Annual
Report of the State Librarian.
Chapter 6
FINANCE, ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT
61 With the previous sanction of the State Library Autho-
rity and the Government, a Local Library
Library Rates Authority shall raise a library rate in the
form of a surcharge of not less than three nayapaisa for
every whole rupee in the property tax or house tax or any
other tax to be named in this behalf.
62 The library rate shall be collected in the same manner
/ as other rates and taxes payable to the body
Mode of Col - constituted as the Local Lib-
rary Authority.
63 The State Library Authority shall, by rules, make pro-
vision for the payment by it to each Local
Library Grants Lj^^ary Authority,
(1) of annual grants, not less in value than that of the
proceeds of the local library rate in the preceding financial
220
42
STATE LIB R ART LE-'O' IS L AT TON
year^ in respect of the expenditure incurred by 'such Authori-
ties in the exercise of their functions in respect of this Act;
and
(2) , of ■ special grants' for the acquisition of lands and
buildings, for providing buildings and fiirnishing' them, and
for other special purposes relating to the discharge of their
functions in respect of this Act.
631. The State Library Authority shall, by rules, make pro-
Grants for Co,llege vision for' the payment to the Universities
of Library Science approved for the purpose,
(1) of annual grants for the College of Libraiy Science ;
(2) of annual grants for the payment as' stipends to
the students of the State, pursuing a study of Library Science ;
.and •
Library Fund
(3) of special grants for the equipment of the College
of Library Science.
64. Every Local Library Authority shall maintain a Library
Fund from which its expenses in respect of
the provisions of this Act shall be met.
Credit to the ‘ Library Fund of a Local Library
Library Fund Authority shall be credited,
(1 ) the amount raised as library rate ;
(2) the amount, if any, which may be transferred to it
from the general funds of the body which has been cons-
tituted as the Local Library Authority ;
(3) the grants received from the State Library Authority;
(4) the grants received from the Union Government;
(5) the amount collected under the Library Rules ;
(6) the amount realised from endowments, if any; and
(7) any contribution received from any person or body
^of persons..'-''
65. A Local Library Authority may, with the sanction of
Power to State Library 'Authority and of the
Borrow Government, borrow money for any of the
purposes of this Act on such security and on such terms as
the Government may approve.
221
42
FIVE LAWS OF L IBR A R Y S C I EN C E
66. There shall be a State Library Fund from
FBiii wMch shall be Biet :— ^
( 1 ) Ifie salary of the State Librarian and his establishmeiit ,
and the expenses of the State Central. Library and its Branches ;
(2) the expenses incidental to the meeting ' of the State
Library Coiiiiiiittee '
(3) the grants to be paid' to Local Library ' Authorities ;
■ (4).. the grants to ■. universities for the Colleges of ' Lib-'
rary Science;
(5) the ; grants .to library Associations and to aid re-
search ill Library Science ; ■■ '
■ (6) the expenses of ' conferences and exhibitions pro-
moted by the State Libmry Authority' for the furtherance of
library movement ; and ■ .
(7) the expenses .'incurred in contributing to confer-
ences and exhibitions held for the furtherance of library move-
ment, including the expenses of ■ any persons authorised by
it to attend any such conference or exhibition ; and '
■■ (8) all other expenses incurred by the State Library
Authority in the furtherance of the purpose of this Act.
661. The Legislature of the State shall -provide money to the
Provislois of Money State Library Fund.. - - . ^
662. To the State 'Library Fund, shall be credited :—
(I) the amount provided by the Legislature ; ■
. ' (2). the giunts received from the Union Governtnenl ;
(3) the amount coileeted' under the Library Rules of
the State Centra! Library,;'
(4) the amount realized from endowments, if any ; and
'■ (5) miiy contribution received from any person or body
of persons.
67. Notwithstanding the provisions in the other sections of
this chapter, in lieu of the minimum fixed for the annual
grant to be paid to the Local Library Authorites, the Govern-
ment may maintain the staff of the public libraries in the
State and make cash payment to the Local Library Authorities
only to the extent to which the sanctioned annual grant ex-
ceeds the annual proceeds from the library rates.
'222
:• ST.AT E LIB R A.R Y- .L EG I Sh AT ION.
■"42.:,
Library Rules.
Chapter 7 ■,
USE, STANDARD, REPORT
7L No charge shall be made for admission to a Public
Admission to ' Library provided by a Local Library Axitho-
PaMkXilirarf rity or, ill case of a lending library, for bor-
rowing'tlie:refroiii by the inhabitants of the area of such.
Local Library Authority, but the Authority may, if it thinks
fit, grant loan from a lending library to persons not being:
inhabitants of its area, either gratuitously or' for payment.
72. Subject to the provisions of this Act and the Rules
made thereunder by the State Library Aiitlio-
rity,' a Local Library Authority may frame
Lib.rary Rules,
(!) for regulating the use of the- Public Libraries under
its control, the contents thereof and the - admissio:ii of the'
public thereto ;
(2) for protecting the- Public Libraries and the furiii-
tiire and contents thereof from misuse, injury or destruction ;
, ,(3) for requiring any -guarantee or security from a.!iy
person using the Public Library and against the loss or injury
to any book or other article ; and
(4) for enabling the officers- and -servants of the . Loca-1
Library Autho-rity to exclude or rem.ove from, the premises of
the Public Library any person offending against the provisions
of this Act, or the Rules made thereunder by the State Library
Authority or the Library Rules.
73. Any person —
(1) who, in a Public Library or other institution main-
Offences md tained under this Act, acts to the aninoyaiice
Punlshnient or disturbance of any person using the
same, behaves in a disorderly manner, or uses violent, abu-
sive language ; or
(2) who, after proper warning, persists in remaining
therein beyond the hours fixed for closing, shall be liable
to be excluded or removed forthwith from the premises and
shall also be liable on conviction to a penalty not exceeding
223
•42
FIVE LAWS ;O.F:-X.IBRAR\y, SCX'ENeB^
Inspection
"Piiblic'Eisiiiilry
ten rupees. ■ ' ■ , ■ ■
731. An offence committed under section 73 of this Act
■shall be triable in the^ manner provided for summary trial by
Chapter XII of the Code of .Criminal Procedure of 1898;.
74. The State Library Authority may, by their officers or
by other agencies, inspect any Public 'Library
or other institution maintained by a Local
Library Authority for -the purpose of satisfying themselves
whether the purposes' of this Act are. being properly fulfilled.
75. It shall be competent for the State Library Authority
to, hold a public enquiry for the purpose of
exercising any of their powers or performing
■any of their duties under this Act ' in ■ respect of - a Local
Library Authority.
751. A copy of the report of any public enquiry shall be
Represesitatlons of -furnished to the Local Library Authority
tlie Local Lit)- concerned and the representations of such
rary Authority Authority shall be considered before taking
any action on the report.
76. A Local Library Authority shall send such reports and
Reports, Returns, I'^turns and furnish such information to the
«tc. State Library Authority as it may require for
the purpose of the exercise of its functions under this Act.
77. A report of the progress made by the Local Bodies in
regard to the working of this Act together
with a list of the Local Library Authorities
showing the number of Central Libraries, Branches, Libra--
chines and Delivery Stations maintained by them and such
other information as may be prescribed by the Rules made
by the State Library Authority in this behalf, shall be incor-
porated ill the Annual Report of the State Librarian,
Report
Chapter 8
RULES AND BYE-LAW
81. The State Library Authority may, by notification in
Making of Rules the Official Gazette, make rules consistent
224
.STATE LTB,RARY L E G.ISL A T lO M,, ,42
with this. Act.for carrying into effect the purposes of this Act.
811. In particular ' and without prejudice to the, generality
Subject Matter of the foregoing powers, such , Rules , may
of tlie Eul.es provide for: —
. (1) regulating the work of a State Library Coiii,in,ittee ;
(2) prescribing outlines of the Development Plan to be,
submitted by "Local Library Authorities and the manner in
which publicity shall be given ' to any proposed Develop-
ment .Plan ; ■
(3) the co-ordination or centralisation of technical wor,k
in the library system of the State ;
4!. ' the maintenance of the State Register of Librarians ;
42. the recruitment, qualifications and conditions of service
of the salaried officers and servants .of the State Central Lib-
rary, Local Library Authorities and the professional staff
of the libraries of the Departments of the Government and
of the institutions maintained by the Government ;
(5) . the assignment of grants to Local Library Autho-
:rit.ies.;,
(6) the assignment of grants to Colleges of Library
Science, including stipends to students of Library Science ;
(7) . the accounts to be maintained by the Local Library
Authorities ;
(8) the auditing of the accounts, the conditions under
which ratepayers may appear before the auditors, inspect
books and vouchers, and take exception to items entered
therein or omitted therefrom and the publication of the
audited statement and the report accompanying it ; and
(9) ail other matters which have to be dealt with by
Rules under this Act.
225
43:
F i: V E L A W S OF L I B R A R Y' S C I E N € E
43 Union Library Act
it -is expedient to provide for the establishment
and' maintenance of a National Central Library and for , the
promotion and' co-ordination ' of a comprehensive Library'
Service- in India and in foreign lands and high seas',
It is hereby enacted as follows :
Chapter I
PRELIMINARY
Short Title 1. This. Act maybe cailed<he Union Library
Act, 1957. ' • .
2. In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the
subject or context :
(1) ‘National Librarian’ means the officer appointed
National by the Union GoverniBent to perform the
Libranan duties of the National Librarian.
(2) ‘ National Central Library’ means the library
National Central established or maintained or managed by
Library the Union Government as National Central
Library.
(3) ‘ Departmental Library’ means a library established
Departmental lEaintained by a Department or Institu-
Library tion of the Union Government.
(4) ‘ Outlier Library means any library, in Delhi, other
than a library belonging to any of the above-
mentioned categories, and agreeing to work
in collaboration with the National Central Library.
(5) ‘Contact Library’ means a library in a foreign
country established and maintained by the
Department of Libraries of the Union
Government to furnish authentic reading materials on and
by India to the country concerned and to promote cultural
contact with it.
Outlier Library
Contact Library
UNION LIBRARY ACT
43-
Chapter 2
NATIONAL LIBRARY AUTHORITY
; 21. For the purpose of managing the National Central
National Library Library, promoting a comprehensive Library
Authority Service in India, establishing and maintainiBg
Contact Libraries in foreign countries, and establishing and
maintaining Library Service for the seafarers of India, the
Minister ' of Education (hereinafter referred to ■ as the
■Minister’) shall be the National Library Authority.
211. It shall be the duty of the National Library Authority
Doties of the establish, maintain, and manage a National
National Library Central Library, to help the provision of a
Authority comprehensive Library Service to the people
of India in collaboration with the State Library Authorities
of the constituent States, and co-ordinate the said Library Ser-
vice, to establish and maintain Contact Libraries in foreign
countries to furnish authentic Indian literaiure, to provide
authentic informative books and periodicals on India and to
promote cultural contact and understanding with foreign
countries, and also Library Service to the seafarers of India.
22. To help in the discharge of its duties, the National
National Lib- Library Authority shall appoint a full-timed
rarian National Librarian, lay down the conditions
of his service and provide him with the necessary establish-
ment.
Duties of the Na- Subject to the control of the National
tional Librarian Library Authority, the National Librarian
shall,
(1) manage the National Central Library ;
(2) superintend, direct, and deal with all matters relating
to the Copyright Act and to the maintenance and service
of the materials deposited with the Union Government under
the said Act ;
(3) manage the Contact Libraries of India established
in foreign countries ;
(4) manage the Libraries for the seafarers of India
227
43
FIVE LAWS o- f; library s g le n c e
established in India and in foreign countries
(5) 'centralise all impersonal, technical work like acqui-
sition, classification and ^ cataloguing, and' co-ordinate; the
selection, service and^ maintenance . of .reading and kindred ,
materials in the Departmental and Outlier Libraries ;
(6) promote co-operative- and. centralised xlassificatiGii,
calaloguiiig and bibliography in India ;
(7) submit to the National Library Authority an annual
report on the progress and working of the library system of
India ; and-
(8) generally assist the National Library Authority and
carry on the correspondence and exercise the powers assigned
to him by it in the discharge of its duties and the exercise of
its powers in regard to this Act.
23. There shall be a National Library Committee for the
National Library pi-H'pose of advising the National Library
Committee Authority on all matters arising under this
Membership National Library Committee shall
consist of : —
(1) The Minister ;
(2) The Minister in charge of inter-state relations or
(3) The National Librarian ; [his deputy ;
(4) The Educational Adviser or his deputy ;
(5) Two persons elected by the Union Legislature ;
(6) Two persons appointed by the Union Govern-
ment from among its secretaries and heads of departments ;
(7) One person appointed by the Executive of the
University of Delhi or his deputy ;
(8) One person appointed by the Executive of a Library
Association of national status approved by the Minister for
this purpose, or his deputy; and
(9) . One person with special knowledge of libraries ap-
pointed by the Minister,
232. The Minister shall be the President and the National
President and Librarian shall be the Secretary of the Na-
Secretary tional Library Committee.
228
UNION- tIBRARY ACT:
43
233. Members of . the National Library "Committee^ other
- than ex-officio members, shall hold office for
/ three years from the date of their election or
appointment, as the ease may be.
234. The National Library Authority shall, by rules, provide
Meetings and . ■ ' periodical or ■ other .meetings ■ of the
Procedpre National Library Committee and as to the
procedure thereof.
Chapter 3
NATIONAL CENTRAL LIBRARY
31. The National Library Authority shall establish, main-
National Central manage a National Central Library
Library in Delhi to function as a central reservoir
for the library sytem of India.
32. The National Librarian shall be the officer to discharge
Copyright Duties duties and exercise the powers laid down
and Powers in Parts III and V of the Press and Registra-
tion of Books Act of 1897; The National Central Library
shall maintain a National Bureau of Copyright to assist him
in this mattei.
321. One copy each of all printed materials, received under
Nationai Copy- Delivery of Books (Public Libraries) Act
right Collection of 1954, shall be kept in the National Central
Library as a separate Copyright Library for reference within
the premises of the library but not for loan of any kind,
except for production in a Court of Law on demand by the
said Court. The National Librarian may call for a second
copy of any book.
322. Any additional copy or copies, if requisitioned under
the said Act, may be included among the
Copy for Loan stock of the National Central Library nor-
mally available for loan.
323. A report of the working of the National Bureau
Report of Copyright shall be incorporated in the
Annual Report of the National Librarian.
229
43
FI*VE LAWS OF LlBRARy .SCIENCE
Extent
Report
33. The National Central Library may maintain a National •
National Bureau Bureau of International Exchange for effect-
of International ing exchange of publications of Indian and
Excfiange foreign origin. ■
331. The National Bureau of International Exchaiige may
enter into agreement with, similar Bureaus in
other countries or of international sta.iidiiig
on a basis of reciprocity and in accordance with such inter-
national conventions and treaties as are ratified or entered
intO' by the Union Government;
332. The carriage of exchange-materials between the Na-
Free Postal tional Central Library and the parties con-
Transport ' ,cerned in India shall be done by the Postal
Department free of postal charges, and at the lowest permis-
sible rate to materials sent outside India.
333. A report of the working of the National Bureau of
International Exchange shall be incorpora-
ted in the Annual Report of the National
Librarian.
34. The National Central Library may maintain a Na-
Nationai Library Library for the Blind, for the produc-
for the Blind tion, storing and serving of books, sound-
records of books, and kindred materials for the blind.
341. The National Library for the Blind may collaborate
with the State Libraries for the Blind or the
Collaboration Central Libraries and undertake such
work as may fall to its share by mutual agreement.
342. The carriage of the books for the blind between the
Free Postal National Central Library or any State Central
Transport Library and the blind readers within India
shall be done by the Postal Department free of postal
charges.
343. A report on the working of the National Library for
Report the Blind shall be incorporated in the Annual
Report of the National Librarian.
35. The National Library Authority may maintain Con-
Contact Library tact Libraries in foreign countries.
230
UNION' LIBRARY ACT'
43
Report
35:1. 'The Nationai Librarian shall manage all of the India’s
Manageisient Contact Libraries abroad., '
352. A report on the working of India’s Contact Libraries
, 'Report' abroad shalLbe incorporated , in the Annual
: Report of the National Librarian.
National Library ■ .The National Central Library may main-
for Seafarers ■ , tain a National Library for the seafarers of
India.
361. Branches of the National Library for Seafarers 'may
Brandies maintained in ports of call frequented by'
Indian, ships, whether in India or abroad,
and in the Indian ships themselves.
362. The National . Librarian shall manage the National
Management Library for Seafarers and its branches.
363. A report on the working of the National Library for
Report Seafarers and its branches shall be incorpo-
rated in the Annual Report of the National
Librarian.
National Bureau National Central Library may main-
of Inter-Library tain a National Bureau of Inter-Library
Loan.
371. The National Bureau of Inter-Library Loan may in-
Extent within elude in the scheme of inter-library loan, the
India Departmental Libraries, such Outlier Lib-
raries as are willing to join the scheme on such condition
as may be agreed upon and such State Central Libraries
of the constituent states, as are willing to join the scheme.
372. The National Bureau of Inter-Library Loan may enter
Extent outside ^ scheme of international library loan
India with any foreign country oji such conditions
as may be mutually agreed upon.
373. A report of the working of the National Bureau of
Inter-Library Loan shall be incorporated in the Annual Re-
port of the National Librarian.
National Bibiio- National Central Library may main-
graphical Bureau tain a National Bibliographical Bureau.
381. The National Bibliographical Bureau may admit into
231
43
FIVE LAWS OF'.LiBRAEY SCIENCE
its work other agencies- in the "country, like the Depart-
Colialwratlon ments of the Government, the Insdoc, 'the-
witliin India State Bibliographical Bureaus of the consti-
tuent states and the Learned Bodies in, the country, on such
. conditions as may be mutually ^ agreed upon and undertake
such bibliographical work as may fall to its share by ■ mutual
agreement among the participating bureaus and agencies. ■
382. The National Bibliographical Bureau may collaborate
Coiiatoratfoii ' ^ith similar Bureaus or agencies: of the other
iwtsMe India nations or of international status and under-
take such international bibliographical work as may fall to
its share by mutual agreement among the participating bure-
aus and agencies.
383. A report of the working of the National Bibliographi-
cal Bureau shall be incorported in the Annual
Report of the National Librarian.
391. The National Central Library may maintain a National
National Bureau Bureau of Technical Service for centralised
of Technical impersonal technical work like acquisition
Service classification and cataloguing of reading
materials for the National Central Library, the Departmental
Libraries and such Outlier Libraries as are willing to join the
scheme on such conditions as may be agreed upon and under-
take such technical work as may fall to its share by mutual
agreement among the participating libraries.
3911. The National Bureau of Technical Service may colla-
borate with similar bureaus in the State Cen-
tral Libraries of the constituent states and
co-ordinate the technical treatment of books in the entire
library system of the country and undertake such technical
work as may fall to its share by mutual agreement among
the participating bureaus.
3912. The National Bureau of Technical Service may colla-
borate with similar bureaus of other countries and the inter-
national bureaus, if any, devoted to similar work and under-
take such technical work as may fall to its share by mutual
agreement among the participating bureaus.
232
Report
ColIalKjratioii
'UN.IOH LIBRARY ACT
43
■ 3913, -A. report on the working of the National 'Bureau of
Technical Service shalTbe incorporated in the
; Annual Report ' of the Na't ioiiai Librarian.
Chapter 4
FINANCE
41. The National Library Authority shall, by rules’, make
Grants for the provision for :
College of Lib- ■
rary Science
(!) An annual grant for the Union College of Library
Science; '
(2) An annual grant for the payment of stipends' to ■
students of Library Science ; and
(3) Special grant for the equipment of the Union
College of Library Science.
42. The National Library Authority may, by rules, make
Grant for Libra- provision for the payment of annual grants
Ties and special grants to libraries maintained by
bodies of national status, to Library Associations of national
status, to the constituent States for distribution to other
libraries and for the promotion of research in Library Science
National Library National Library Fund
Fond from which shall be met,
(1) the expenses of the National Library Authority ; '
(2) . the expenses incidental to the meeting of the
National Library Committee ;
(3) the salary of the National Librarian and his estab-
lishment, the amount required for the reading materials and
the equipment of the National Central Library, including
India’s Contact Libraries abroad, the National Library for
Seafarers and its branches and all other expenses incidental
to their maintenance and management, and the discharge
of the functions laid down by this Act;
(4) the grants to the Union College of Library Science ;
(5) the grants to the libraries and Library Associations
of national status and in aid of research in Library Science ;
233
L. s.— 15
43,
■F I 'V E X, A' W S O F ■ XI B R A R Y S C I E,N C E
(6) the ' grants to the constituent States' for' distribution'
to libraries..; ;
(7) the expenses, of conferences and exhibitions promoted
by the National Library Authority for the furtherance of
■library ''movemeiit ;
(8) the expenses incurred in contributing to conferences
and exhibitions held for the furtherance of library movement^
including', the expenses of any persons authorised by it to att-
end any such conferences or exhibitions ; and
(9) ^ all other expenses incurred by the National Library
Authority in the furtherance of the purpose of this Act.
PrcmsioBof * Parliament of India shall provide
Bioiiey money to the National Library Fimd.
432. To the National Library Fund shall be credited : —
(1) the amount provided by the Parliament ;
(2) the amount collected under the Library Rules of
the National Central Library, the Contact Libraries and the
Seafarers’ Libraries ;
(3) the amount received from endowments ; and
(4) any contribution from any person or body of persons.
Chapter 5
THE W^ORKING OF THE NATIONAL CENTRAL LIBRARY
51. No charge shall be made for admission to the National
Admission to Central Library or to any of India’s Contact
the Library Libraries abroad or to the use of the Na-
tional Library for Seafarers or its branches.
511. No reading materials shall be lent out by the National
Loan from Na Central Library to individual readers except
tional Central through a Departmental Library, an Outlier
Library Library, a State Central Library or a National
Central Library of any other country or any International or
World Library approved for the purpose.
512. No reading materials shall be lent out of any of India’s
Loan from a Contact Libraries abroad, except as inter-
Contact Library library loan, or in accordance with the lib-
234
UNION LIBRARY ACT
43.
rary rules framed by the National Librarian for the /purpose.
513. Reading materials may be' lent out to registered 'sea-
farers and to registered ships by the Branches of the National
Library for Seafarers. ,
' 52. Subject to the provisions of this Act and the Rules'
Library Rules made thereunder by the National Library
Authority,' the National Librarian may frame' Library Rules, ; ,
(1) for regulating the use of the libraries under his
control ■ and the contents thereof and the admission of the
public thereto' ;
(2) for protecting the same and the furniture and con-
tents thereof from misuse, injury or destruction;
(3) for requiring any guarantee or security from any
person using them and against the loss or injury to any read-
ing materials or other articles: and
(4) for enabling the officers and servants of the libraries
to exclude or remove therefrom any person offending against
the provisions of this Act, or the Rules made thereunder
by the National Library Authority or the Library Rules.
53. Any person,
(1) who, in the National Central Library or any other
OSfences and institution maintained under this Act, acts to
Punishment the annoyance or disturbance of any person
using the same, behaves in a disorderly manner, or uses vio-
lent, abusive or obscene language ; or
(2) who, after proper warning, persists in remaining
therein beyond the hours fixed for closing, shall be liable to
be excluded or removed forthwith from the premises, and
shall be liable on conviction to a penalty not exceeding ten
rupees.
531. An offence committed under section 53 of this Act
shall be triable in the manner provided for summary trial in
Chapter XII of the Code of Criminal Prooedme.
54. Each State Library Authority shall send such reports
and returns and furnish such information to the National
Library Authority as it may require for the purpose of the
exercise of its functions under this Act.
235
:43':
F ! V;E L A W S' O F L I BRA R Y .S C IE N C E
55. The report the progress made in the -working, of the
. , library system of the country and of the Con- .
tact Libraries - 'and the Branch Seafarers'
■ Libraries, together with a list of ' the State Central Libraries
and the- Local Library Authorities, showing the number of
central libraries, branches, delivery stations and other insti-
tutions maintained and other such information as may be pres-
cribed by Rules shall be incorporated in the Annual Report
of the 'National Librarian.
Chapter 6
rui.es
Making of Rules
61. The National Library Authority may, by notification
in the Official Gazette, make Rules consist-
ent with this Act for carrying into effect the
purposes cf this Act.
611. In particular and without prejudice to the generality
Subject matter foregoing power, such Rules may pro-
of the Rules vide for
(1) regulating the work of the National Library Com-
mittee ;
(2) the co-ordination or centralisation of technical
work in the library system of the country ;
(3) the recruitment, qualifications, and conditions of
service of the salaried officers and servants of the National
Central Library, India’s Contact Libraries abroad, and the
branches of the National Library for Seafarers and the pro-
fessional staff of the Departmental Libraries ;
(4) the payment of grants to the Union College of Lib-
rary Science;
(5) the payment bf stipends to students of Library
Science ;
(6) the payment of grants to libraries. Library Associa-
tions and in aid of research in Library Science ; and
(7) all other matters which have to be dealt with by
Rules under this Act.
236
: .SE.eO'ND, law/ AKD;'J'tS''.;1M:P LICA/T 441
44 Library System
The third obligation of the State — that of co-ordination —
is really, an attempt to reconcile two op.posiiig fectors, viz.,
the necessarily limited nature of the finances , of a conimimity
and the, apparently unlimited finances required to provide
Every Person His or Her Book Every Moment. These
tw^o factors can be reconeiled only by a judicious pooling of
the resources of the community by a carefuily articulated
scheme of library co-ordination and co-operation, which
should not be left to chance or to the sweet will of the lib-
raries themselves, but should be actively fostered by the' State
in the interests of national economy. In other words, the
State should integrate the libraries in the land into a Library
System. There are three types of co-ordination possible, at
three different levels, which need different modes of action,
viz., (1) fixing a lower limit to the size of the ultimate Local
Library Area, which is to be done by legislation; (2) foster-
ing amity, specialisation and inter-library loans, which can
only be done by informal suggestions made at periodical
conferences; and (3) maintaining certain central agencies,
which must be financed and managed directly by the State.
441 Viability
It would be futile to invest a small area, whose rateable
assessment is not fairly high, with independent library powers.
With its meagre income, no efficient library service will be
possible. Obviously no building can even be considered ; to
talk of a staff with a scale of salary, that can attract and re-
tain really able, professionally qualified men, would be
absurd ; book-purchase must be inevitably small. The little
money of each such small library would be absorbed, almost
completely, in the duplication of one and the same set of
certain commonly required fundamental books. Hence, the
State should fix a minimum rateable assessment or a minimum
population as the qualification for an independent library
area. This is the demand of viability.
237
442
FI¥E LAWE,; OF- LIBRARY SCIENOE
442 Viable Units for Madras
: In Madras, we can have realiy eificient service only in cities
with a popnlation of 50,000 or over. There are, in the whole
province, only ,12 such cities, v/z,, Madras, Madura, Trichi“
.nopoiy, Calicut, Kumbakonam, Tanjore, Negapatam, Salem,
Cuddalore, Uocanada, ' Conjeeveram and Coimbatore. Even
if we agree to admit second-rate town libraries, it won’t be
wise to go to towns , of less than 20,000 popiilatioii. And
there are only 40 other towns with such a qualification, viz,,
Mangalore, Rajahmundry, Tinnevelly, Vellore, Guntur, El-
lore, Palamcottah, Palghat, Vizagapatara, Masulipatam,
Bezwada, Tuticorin, Beliary, Vizianagaram, Nellore, Dindi-
gul, Srivilliputtur, Rajapalayam, Aruppukottai, Berhampur,
Cannanore, Tellicherry, Adoni, Mayavaram, Kurnool, Saida-
pet, Tiriivalur, Srirangam, Chidambaram, Erode, Giidiatham,
Sembiam, Mannargudi, Virudunagar, Tenkasi, Tiruvanna-
malai, Tenali, Vaniambady, Anakapallee, and Bodinayaka-
noor, in order of population. Thus, the province can have,
at the most, only 52 Urban Library Authorities. Ail other
areas should be served only by the 26 District Library Autho-
rities that should be instituted. Such a District Library
Scheme, with travelling library facilities, is the only means of
securing satisfactory service with the small finances that can
be made available.
443 Specialisation IN Subjects
Even with as few Library Authorities as 78 for the whole
province, it may not be possible for each authority, all by
itself, to find sufficient funds to provide for Every Person
His or Her Book. Even if funds are forthcoming, it will be
highly wasteful to do so. While each Library Authority should
own one or more (if demand justifies it) copies of certain
ordinary books, it is not conducive to national economy, for
each of them, to buy copies of costly or occasionally used
books. In fact, it is necessary that the 78 Library Authorities
should arrive at an agreed scheme of specialisation. In such
a scheme, each Library Authority will have, for its share, the
238
S E C O N, D L A W A N D . ■ 'I T S I M P L I C A T I O' N S ' ' ' 446,
building-up of as complete a collection as possible of iiia-*
terials bearing on local history, local industries and other local,
interests. If Salem is predominantly a weaving centre and the
Nilgiris a plantation district, it is desirable that ■ the Salem
Public Library should, in addition to books of ordinary use
aiid frequent demand, specialise in textiie,Jiteratu,re and the '
Nilgiris in plantation literature. If there are stray citizens of
Salem interested in plantation, the Salem, Public Library
should borrow the books they want from the Nilgiris Autlio- ,
ority and, in turn, if a person in Coonoor is interested in.
te,xtile, industry, 'his. books should be got from Salem.
444 Function of the State
The need for such a scheme of specialisation and inter-
library lending is being more and more felt in all the coun-
tries of the world. It is only a Central Authority like the
State that can guide its gradual growth along profitable lines.
Periodical conferences should be convened by the State, to
discuss and formulate the- necessary adjustments from time
to time. Such conferences will also incidentally lead to a use-
ful exchange of ideas on several other library problems, ruch
as classification, cataloguing, binding, publicity methods and
so on.
445 State Central Library
To bring out such a co-ordination and such a healthy and
willing co-operation between the 78 Library Authorities, and
to secure further National Economy there is need for a cer-
tain type of direct State action. Such co-ordinating activities
should be undertaken by the Ministry of Education through
the State Central Library.
446 Essential Functions
One such activity is the maintenance of an Information
Bureau, similar to the one we referred to as existing in the
State Library of Prussia, It must have a Union Catalogue of
all the libraries of the province and bring about a smooth
239
446 FIVE LAWS OF;. LIBRARY ■SCIE;N.
exchange of books between libraries,, as , and when reqiiire.d,,
so that any student in any corner of the province can get Bis
Book with the least, possible delay, cost and worry. It .irnist
■also maintain a Central Library; of rarely used , and' .costly
books for lending to any .library on .request, so that, the 78
Library Authorities may invest their book funds in. oft-used
books and , books of local interest. It must also gather the
"dead ’..books of the several Library Authorities from time to
time and arrange for the housing of just a sufficient number
of copies in permanent custody for occasional use.,. While it
would be impossible for each Library Authority to give shelf-
space for all its ‘dead’ materials, it is not proper for each
such authority to destroy them indiscriminately and inde-
pendently, lest certain books should happen to have no re-
presentative copy whatever in the Province. It should further
provide for the maintenance of certain types of special lib-
raries, such as the Library for the Blind and the Seafarers’
Library, which, by their very nature, cannot get localised.
447 Additional Functions
While these activities are absolutely necessary, the State
Central Library may, with advantage, interest itself also in
co-operative cataloguing as the Library of Congress does; it
may endeavour to publish bibliographical aids from time to
time ; it may be possible for it to so influence the publishing
world as to improve the bibliographical standard of book-
production ; it may, as the Social Education Department of
the Government of Soviet Russia does, collect data regarding
the supply and demand of books and endeavour to promote
necessary publications to create for Every Person His or Her
Book ; it may also help, in various ways, the maintenance of
proper standards of Library Service and be a sort of clearance
house for library ideas for the whole province. It may publish
a periodical bulletin to further such exchange of ideas and to
keep the several libraries informed of each othcr!s achieve-
ments and novelties, so as to excite healthy emulation.
240
SECONB 'law AN0 -its. IMPLICATIONS 452
: \ 45 University Library System ■
, Some :of the co-ordinating functions proposed for the State
in,. a National .Library System' will- be equally applicable to
other library systems as well. Ta'ke,, for example,, a University
.Library.,' System. It is likely to have a Main Library.' and'
several Departmental Libraries in, addition to the .libraries in'
the coiistitue,nt colleges. The. chief executive of the Univer-
sity should exercise: many of these co-ordinating functions
through a carefully chosen Library Committee of . academic
and administrative interests, if the resources of the University
are to be properly husbanded and wasteful duplication is to.
be avoided. The usually meagre library finances of the col-
leges may well be invested in a sufficient number of copies
of text-books and other similar works in frequent demand.
451 Co-ordination
Unless the University has an indefinitely long purse, it
would be well advised to restrict the Departmental Collections
to duplicate copies of important reference books in daily
demand by the members of the department and certain other
oft-used books in the line of enquiry which is, for the moment,
engaging the attention of its members. The departments
should be encouraged and advised to draw all other kinds of
books from the Main Library as and when the need arises. In
particular, it is doubtful if any University can be rich enough
to purchase duplicate sets of Scientific Periodicals, whose
number has already crossed the 25,000 mark. The executive
of the University should try to invest its funds on single
copies of as many different periodicals as possible rather than
permit the departments to have each the luxury of a complete
run of some of such periodicals, opened, perhaps, on half a
dozen occasions in a term.
452 Function of the University Executive
If the executive of the University attempts such co-ordina-
tion, it can certainly make its library allotment go much
longer than otherwise and make a closer approximation to
-r-AA/ ■ 241 , ■,
of library science
the ideal of the Second Law. Individual departments maymot
be able to take a comprehensive view of the Umversxty Lib-
Srv System as a whole and may, under the obsession of their
mediate and isolated interests, each prefer to have duptote
copies of all kinds of materials ever at their elbow. While
suS an ideal arrangement may be worth having “ theory, it
is only the central executive of the University, which has to
tmt the coat according to the cloth, with prudence and a
ZLv view of things, that can see the problem in its proper
pempective and decide the extent to which an approximation
to that ideal can be ventured.
453 Location of University Library
At the same time, the executive should minimise the handi-
caps of the departments due to the curtailment of duplication,
by judicious housing-arrangements. The orientation of t e
University buildings can be so made that all the departme
virtually have the whole library system at their elbow. If the
Second Law is borne in mind, and also from the point of
view of the Fourth Law, it must be made possible to locate
most of the research departments around the library. Even if
" not practicable to accomnodate all the “
tot way, to executive should at least be gutd^ by the
principle that the research departments have the first claim
over all the available extra space in the library-buildings for
study-room and seminar purposes.
46 Obligation of the Library Authority
While well-thought-out legislative and co-ordinating mea-
sures on the part of the State are necessary, they are not by
Sems^ves sufficient. The State action can find the money
and may, perhaps, be of help in providing the building. But
the life^ necessary to vitalise them, can only be supplied by
to toil Library Authority. This °bligado„ of to Lto^
Authority centres round two factors, (1) the choice o ,
and (2) the choice of staff.
242
SECOND LAW AND. . IT S : IM P L ! C A T I O N S 462
461 :ChoicE’ of Books
MentioB has already been- made of one aspect of the
choice , of books, viz., specialisation with a local bias. The,
ideal way. of. fitting a library 'to give Every 'Person His Book
may be that of gathering "together all the products of the
printing press, from its very inception to the present moment,
from the first book printed by Caxton to the last book print-'
ed to-day. '"'Some idea of its size is given by Iwinski^^^ who,
in 1911, published the results of an elaborate statistical study:
of book-production. He estimated that there were then in;
the . world twenty-five million ‘ different books." We should,'
however, fin'd need- to correct this figure if we bear in mind
that Iwinski limited his estimate to ' different books," and did
not take - into account different editions, reprints, ' issues,
variant copies, etc., of the same book, neither did he include
such occasional, fugitive, and ephemeral items as maps,
charts, prints, proclamations, music, engravings, broadsides,
news-sheets, newspapers, sermons, almanacs, etc., which
would swell his estimate to an enormous extent.”^®® With
such a bewildering number of materials in print, it can be
seen that every Library Authority should willingly co-operate
with the other libraries in the country — perhaps even in the
world at large — and accept a policy of specialisation, if it is
to help Every Reader with His or Her Book.
462 Judgment in Choice
As a matter of fact, it may even be said that it is not so
much to the size of the library as to the choice of its collec-
tions that the Second Law looks for the fulfilment of its mes-
sage. It would insist that the essentially limited nature of the
finance of a library makes it imperative that as much know-
ledge and judgment are required in the choice of books as
in the choice of a house or a wife, a wireless valve or a spark-
ing plug. Roomfuls of books may be a mere accumulation
whilst a simple shelf-ful may constitute a library, the volume-
having been selected and placed side by side to serve a de-
finite purpose ... A good general library might be regarded
243
462
,F 1;V. E L A W^S O F ’ L I B R A R, Y ^ S G:I EN C' E
as a grouping of such specialcollections, properly co-ordinat-
ed so as to strengthen and amplify each other without waste-
ful overlapping/’"®®
463 Choice of Reference Books
Another important aspect of the choice of books is that of
going in for a large number of encyclopaedic and other refer-
ence books. In the first place such books are usually costly
and cannot be bought by individual citizens and secondly
such books will usually furnish most of the information that
is frequently sought by the majority of readers. With a good
collection of such reference books, the problem of supplying
Every Reader his or Her Material will be solved to a
large extent. That this elementary fact has to be stated expli-
citly may be seen from the following : — One of our big libra-
ries managed to pull on for more than a dozen years without
the Encyclopcedia Britannica, while most of our schools have
not yet realised the value of or the need for a set of the
Book of knowledge. Under such conditions, the task of ful-
filling the mandate of the Second Law even to a limited
extent is almost impossible.
464 Book-Selection Authority
A third point about the choice of books is that of knowing
the readers and understanding and anticipating their needs.
This can be done only by actual contact with the readers.
Hence the Library Authority should allow itself to be guided
largely by the librarian; he alone is in a position to observe
and report. One possible danger may be due to the fact, that,
under the present conditions of our country, the most influen-
tial members of the Library Authorities may be exercising
the power of book selection ; they may not either understand
or be able to sympathise with the need that the ordinary per-
sons may feel for books dealing with Arts and Crafts. Such
literary members should bear in mind the emphasis of the
Second Law on then, the narrowing eiffect of such
a danger may be minimised.
244
L'A'W :AND ITS ' IMFLI CATIONS 47
465 Choice of Staff
Next to the choice of books, the choice of staff caa.make
or mar the fitness of a library to give Every Reader
His or Her Reading Material. We have dwelt at , length,
in the first chapter, on the need for a well-educated, techni-
cally trained, properly paid staff. Now' we may . add , the
need for an adequate staff. This problem will again lurn;
up in a more serious form when we discuss the Fourth Law.
466 adequate Competent Staff
A Library Authority that is anxious to obey the Second
Law and give Every Reader His Book, should realise ‘Uhat
an enormous proportion of the general public, not excep-'
ting the more studious and intelligent, are not aware of
all that libraries contain or that books contain, and even
when they have some apprehension, do not know how to get
what they are in need of. Few have the knowledge and skill
required to extract the very best out of any kind of library...
One of the most familiar experiences of all who have to do
with libraries is to see people, hard up for information going
away empty handed after a protracted search for what is
ready waiting, properly catalogued and indexed, and perhaps
contained in ready-reference works staring them in the face
on the open shelf.” If the Library Authority realises this,
it will appreciate the need for an adequate competent staff to
show every reader "" how to use books as tools and libraries
as workshops ” and to make even the limited resources of its
library yield to Every Reader His or Her Material.
47 Obligation of the Library Staff
This brings us to the next category of obligations, viz., the
obligations of the Library Staff. There is a Tamil proverb
which says that even though the desired boons may be grant-
ed by God, they may be held up by the ministering priest.
Similarly, even though the State and the Library Authority
might have duly discharged their obligations to the Second
Law, its mandate may not be properly carried out unless the
■ . 245
47 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENGH
library staff discharge their obligations in an efficient manner.
We are not referring here to the possible negligence or in-
difference of the Library Staff. They- have"' been ' dealt with in
the first chapter. On the otherhand werefer only to what tlie
Second Law would demand of an earnest actuated by ^
sense of duty.,
471 Reference Service
We may shift the emphasis to the word His and trace
the consequences. The first effect, that came to be realised as
soon as the emphasis shifted to ' ^ HiS/ was to understand
that the business of the Library Staff is ' not merely to
dole out across the counter the books that are asked for. , On
the other hand, their business is to know the reader, to know
the books, and to actively help in the finding by Every Person
OF His OR Her, Boor. This phase of the work is known as
^fReferencC' Service.”
472 Know THE Reader
The first -thing is to know the reader. We referred to the
importance of it in sections 17 to 1765. We also referred in
section 3515 to the only systematic way in which this power
can be acquired and in which it is sought to be acquired in
Germany by the work that is being carried on in the ‘ Leipzig
Institute for Readers and Reading.”
473 Special Training
In needs to be emphasised that " Reference Service ’ cannot
be done without special training and intensive experience.
The laymen, who manage our libraries, seldom realise this
obligation that the Second Law throws on the Library Staff
but act on the assumption that any S.SX.C.-holder will do
for library work. But even they know that the holding of the
S.SX.C. does not qualify one to run a locomotive, and that
good manners and common sense are not all that is required
for the practice of medicine. But since they regard library
work as mechanically handing out books, the existence else-
246
;■ V" LAW AND' ITS TMPLIC ATIO N:S 475
where of library schools, ' of degree courses, in library science,
and: of ,' a Chair of Library Science in a University like Got-
tingen, is a puzzle, to them. They may be still more puzzled if
if they ' are told that libraries- are now beginning to employ
'"'readers’ advisers'” to whom readers may apply, for aid in
Finding Their Books. They may. even, object that such advi-
■sory service smells too much, of school-mastering, whereas the
adult learner must depend on himself. The reply that western
countries give to such an objection. "would be ""A man must
digest'Ms food in his own stomach, but that is no reason for re-'
fusing to cook it or for withholding knife, fork and . spoon'.
474 Short of Private Tutor
Next to knowing the readers, the Library Staff have to rea-
lise that they exist for the readers. They have to find out how
much help could be given to Every Reader to Find His Book
without going beyond the limits of common sense and with-
out becoming private secretaries or private tutors. The follow-
ing extract from a book-mark with the legend purposeful read^
ingy issued by the Detroit Public Library, throws much light
upon the way in which this obligation should be discharged by
the Library Staff. It says that that the library’s Educational
Counsellor for Readers will devote "" his time to the more inti-
mate discussion of books and reading with those who may
wish to know of the book journeys of someone else. His posi-
tion will be, not that of an instructor, but of a sharer of good
things, who will likewise enjoy hearing of the pleasures of
other adventurers. Furthermore, a large part of his time will
be devoted to giving talks on books and other aids to readers
wherever he may be called upon to do so by organisations
interested in either general or specific intellectual pursuits.”^^^
475 Know the Books
If the obligation, that the emphasis on the " His ’ in the Se-
cond Law throws on the Library Staff, is to be interpreted in
such an ideal way, it can be easily realised that the necessary
knowledge of books and book-collections should be very vast
',247
;/475:; v^': XIBRARY-. SCIENCE ;
and iliotougli. While /.what '-may be learnt from’ the /backs, of
books or what may be remembered by shape, size, colour, lo-
/catioii and other associatio,iis may be of some help, they caBnot
' be sufficient. When books are added in hundreds, 'week by
' week, however retentive may be the memory, one loses track
of the accessions and the mind cannot hold all the titles.
4751 Know the Aid-Books
. Again it is a peculiar sort of knowledge that is needed to
■find for Every Person His Book. People at all levels will
seek the help of the Library Staff to find their books. It may
be a fresh man that wants help to prepare for the scholarship
examination ; it may be a senior student who wants to lead
a debate on feminism ; it may be a professor who wants to
settle a point in the phonology of the Dravidian vowel sys-
tem ; it may be a physicist who wants the book that will give
him just enough and no more of Matrices to understand
Heisenberg’s treatment of Wave Mechanics. Here are some
typical topics on which queries were received in the course
of one month. They will give some idea of the range and
difficulty of the w6rk : —
(1) The method of calculating the quantity of sun’s
heat that will fall in a year on the sides of a wall in the lati-
tude of Madras ;
(2) The advantages of pile foundations ;
(3) Methods of utilising waste-products ;
(4) The parts of Central India where iron deposits
are said to be likely ;
(5) Tamil-English equivalents of the names of plants;
(6) The vitamin content of the common Madras
dishes ;
(7) An authoritative account of the Hindu Karma
theory ;
(8) A readable book on Behaviourism ;
(9) The best book on ^Statistics’ for teachers’
use
248
.SECO.ND „LA:W and, I TS • I M P L I C,A,t IONS 4761
.. (10) Iiiform.ation about the coastal survey of Bom-
, , bay .aii.ci in particular about the silting up of the old, harbours
,., (11) The number of electors ,and of .■ those who .
.., actually polled' during the last three general elections'in each,,
constituency;
(12) The quantity of monazite mined in the different
countries of the world in. 1929;
' ' (13) A picture of a Roman Villa ; ■
. (14) An account of the conventions , about tying
corresponding to the, Rule of the Road and a Code of Air*
laws.
; , No person can depend on his memory to say what his
library resources are on such a bewildering range of subjects.
The Library Staff have necessarily to depend on certain re*
cognised mechanical aids, to discharge their obligations in
helping Every Person to Find His Book.
476 Bibliography
The first tool consists of published bibliographies. The
word Bibliography is a source of great confusion to many
people. Murray’s New English Dictionary mmXiom four
different uses of this term. We are here concerned oflly with the
fourth use given therein, v/z., "‘A list of the books of a par-
ticular author, printer, or country, or of those dealing with
any particular theme ; the literature of a subject.”
4761 Bibliographical Books
One result of this aspect of the Second Law has been that
hardly any subject is now unprovided with a bibliography. In
addition to the select bibliography, that it has now become
the practice to append to each book, there are several general
bibliographies as well as those on specific subjects. John
Minto’s Reference Books published by the Library Associa-
tion in 1929, is a good guide from which the important biblio-
graphical books required for a library may be selected.
l.s. — 16
249
;:4762 F I :L'A O ,F ' /LI B R A R Y ' S C.rE'N'CE.;' ;
4762 Scope and Structure
The obligation that the Second Law would impose on the
■ .LIbrary::Staff, is tliat they should acquaint tliemselves with the
.' .scope and structure of such bibliographical books. It is,.oiily
: close and systematic study and' frequent use that will secure
for the staff the necessary facility in using them quickly and
effectively. It is seldom that the arrangement is similar in
different bibliographies. This makes the work of the Library
Staff all the more arduous.
477 Reference Books
Another class of books of which the Library Staff should
cultivate an intimate knowledge is that of ready reference
books, such as atlases, dictionaries, directories, encyclopaedias
and year-books. There are now many such reference books
in the field. In fact, most of the major subjects and even
some of their minor sub-divisions have been provided with
ready reference books. Many readers are not aware either of
their existence or of the extent to which they furnish informa-
tion. The requirements of the Second Law can be fulfilled to
a remarkable degree, if the Library Staff have made a special
study of tife contents of such reference books. There can be
nothing more embarrassing to a librarian than to say that he
cannot find for a reader the information he seeks. But the
frequency of such embarrassing situations can be considerably
reduced if he acquires thorough familiarity with a representa-
tive set of reference books. Indeed, the percentage of read-
ers that could be satisfied with the material culled by a skilful
librarian from such publications is amazingly large.
478 Catalogue
A third obligation that the Second Law would impose on
the Library Staff refers to the catalogue. Books are mostly of
a composite nature. Very few of them really are of the
" monograph ’ type. While there may be a primary subject
pertaining to a book, it generally deals with several other sub-
250
SECOND LAW AND, /.ITS IMPLICATIONS '48
sidiary subjects as ■ well. It may happen quite often that the
treatment which' a subject receives in a book in which it
occupies , a subsidiary place is of just the kind that, .a reader
requires. The chapter on Vectors — a sub-division' of :Mathe-“
maties — ^contained iti Mms^ Theoretical physics ' is jmt the
kind of . treatment that many students of ■ Mathematics may
be seeking. Mrs. Manning’s Ancient and ■ medieval India^
which' should naturally be placed in the division of Cultural
History^ contains chapters giving a clear synopsis and criti-
cism of the outstanding works, in Sanskrit Literature. It
contains also ; a good exposition of the different schools of
Indian Philosophy. Perhaps, the pages devoted to the theory'
of classification of biological sciences in J. A. Thomson’s
Introduction to science^ will be of utmost interest to students
of classification. Many of the anthropological books contain
much information of philological interest. They give, not
infrequently, complete vocabularies.
j* ,
4781 Subject Analyticals
The Second Law would throw on the Library Staff the
burden of readily helping the reader to find His Materials
from all possible books housed in the Library. This obligation
can be discharged only by making the catalogue fully analytical
and giving profuse subject cross-references. These are also
called Subject Analyticals. It would be impossible for any
individual, however gifted, to carry all such information in
his head. If the cross-references are not made sufficiently full,
the library may have to turn away many readers unserved,
while the materials sought by them are standing silently on
the shelves.
48 Obligation of the Reader
We have seen that hardly any library can afford to get
duplicate copies of books. Hence EVERY READER can get
his books only if each reader remembers that he is not the
only person using the library. He should not forget that the
Second Law pleads not only for his rights and privileges but
251
48 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
also for those of others. It is usual to invoke the civic sense
of people in some places by a placard with the legend “when
you leave this place, see that you leave it as clean as you
would like others to leave it for you.” Each reader who uses
a public library should be guided by a similar maxim. He
should show as much consideration to the interests of other
readers, as he would like that they should show to his own
interests.
481 Library Rules
While maxims like this are easily accepted in theory, it
usually becomes difficult to observe them in practice, without
the aid of some external help. While nobody is so obtuse as
not to perceive the imperative need to observe the rule of the
road if road-travel is to be safe, most people cannot resist
the temptation to break it unless the policeman enforces it
almost at every turn. Hence the readers should look upon
the rigid enforcement of the rules of a library as an aid
rather than as a hindrance. They should try to obey them as
cheerfully as one obeys the directions of the policeman on
point-duty.
482 Number OF Volumes
One usual rule to which readers often object is that which
fixes an upper limit to the number of volumes that can be
taken home at a time. This limit may be fixed as three, or
six or eight or any other number. Arguments may be found
in favour of any particular number. Hence, whatever be the
number fitxed by the rule, it may appear to be purely arbit-
rary. But once that number is fixed the Second Law expects
that every reader should deem it an obligation to respect that
number without murmur. One should not go behind that rule
and question on every conceivable occasion the propriety of
' the number chosen. When a member had in his possession
one more book than the rules permitted, a librarian had re-
luctantly to write to him asking him to return the extra book.
But he flared back writing, “ I am afraid the rules of your
252
SECOND' LAW' AND ITS IMPLICATIONS 4831
library are too exacting for: it to become popiilar. and yoirr,
notice reminds me of the methods of the income-tax depart-
ment' I am^ however, returning one book as desired,” 'The
librarian expressed Ms thanks for the last sentence and treated
the rest of the letter as not written,
4821 Individual General Public '
Every reader should realise that this rule is intended not to
inconvenience the individual but to benefit the: public in
general. A library book at the. house of one reader is necCvS-
sarily withdrawn from use by others; and the rule attempts
to minimise this objection to lending by limiting home-use to
as many volumes at a time as can be reasonably expected to
be in active use. While six books used at one time by a reader,
who must consult them all together, are performing use-
ful service, even a single book that lies idle for a week on
some one’s private table is being wasted.
483 Period of Loan
Another rule, which causes perhaps much greater vexation,
is that which fixes a time limit for the return of books takeh
on loan. Experience all the world over has taught the Library
Authorities that this rule cannot be enforced without a penalty
for its infringement. The favourite penalty is a monetary fine
of so much per day for the retention of a borrowed book be-
yond the period allowed. The idea here is not to make this
fine a source of revenue. On the other hand the library tries
to help the reader in every possible way to avoid paying such
fines. It usually indicates the due date on a special date-slip
attached to the first page of the book. It sends a reminder
card as soon as it becomes overdue and every week thereafter
until the book comes back.
4831 Not Payment for Privilege
But the trouble about this, as about all fines for trivial
misdemeanour, is that it comes to be regarded as payment for
a privilege. The person who wants to keep a popular book an
2i3
4831
FIVE LAWS OF/'LIBRARY SC:IENCE
extra fortnight, thereby mconveniencing the next one.
waiting list, knows that it will cost him only a few annas to
do so and he cheerfully pays .it, unmindM of his civic res-
ponsibility. This is as bad as it .would be. if a motorist, should,,
take, with him. extra money for fines, to be able topay forthe
privilege of rash-driving. ■
4832 Not a Case for Excuses
There are others that get- irritated by the term 'fine’ appear-
ingdn the -.library rules. They argue vociferously, "We are not
criminals to be fined. We are gentlemen, I have never paid
any fine either to my school or to any court of law. The pay-
ment of fine is most demeaning to me.” To avoid this reaction,
the library calls it 'Overdue Charge.’ There are still others who
ask to be exempted on the ground, "I am a busy man. I
can’t always find time or remember to examine that date slip
and return the book in time.” Or, " I am frightfully engaged
in intensive research. I draw so many books at a time. Hence
I can’t afford to find out when each book is due Very
■often, the fact in such cases may be that the book lies on the
reader’s private table unopened for days and days, others
being deprived of their legitimate use.
484 Prohibited Categories
Another rule that has been dictated by experience is that
books of ready reference, rare books that cannot be replaced,
heavy books that cannot be safely carried, Art books that
are full of plates, which are, by nature, frail and easily
destructible, should not be taken home but should be con-
sulted only in the premises of the library. Dictionaries,
cyclopaedias, directories, year-books and such other publi-
cations are not intended to be and cannot, ordinarily, be
read continuously. Further, they contain such a fund of
varied information that practically every person would re-
quire their use. The frequency of their use would be not only
high' but would also be evenly distributed throughout the
day. If a reader appreciates the anxiety of the Second Law to
254
SECOND LAW AND .'ITS IMPLICATIONS 486
give Every Reader , ms ' Chance' to use them, he would see
the anti-social nature of confining them, to his private study,
where they are bound to be idle for most of the day. ..
485 Art Books
The Art Books like Ananda Coomaraswamy’s ■ Imiim art
or Ganguly's Rajput painting or Hurlimann's Indien, not only
have a delicate physique but are also very costly/ Since libra-
ries cannot find funds to buy copies '■ of such books more
than once,i the - Second Law requires - that such books are
carefully kept and used in the library itself, so that their life
may be prolonged as much as possible, to give Every
Reader his Chance to use them. If a reader has the good-
ness to calculate the extra cost incurred by him in using
them in the library itself and compare it with the possible
risk involved in their removal from the library, and remem-
bers his obligations to his fellow-readers, he will see the
unreasonableness of desiring to break this restrictive rule.
486 Periodicals
Another important class of printed material about which
severe restrictions are usually placed by all libraries is that
of periodicals. The current numbers, which alone contain
the latest phase of the progress of thought, are of vital inte-
rest to many a reader. One unfortunate -trait that persons,
engaged in narrow fields of work, develop either unconsci-
ously or purposefully is to assert that certain periodicals are
of interest to themselves only and hence would be best used,
not while lying on the library table, but on their personal
study-table. It is difficult to argue this point. The Second Law
would plead with them saying,
‘‘Let the guiding fiction be, not that nobody else would
require it but that many others would require it. Sacrifice a
little of the luxury of turning through the pages of a periodi-
cal coming hot from the press, while reclining on a lounge
with the charming domestic setting. Do cultivate the habit of
looking at a library as a place to go to, — ‘as a community
255
"486
;f!VE: 'LA'WS of: library se;iEN:CE;:;, :
centre/ — and make it ..a .point do drive to the library ....once' in
two or three days so as. to look into the latest. issues of even,
a larger number of periodicals, without at the same time de-
priving others of their chance.’’' .
,4861 The Other Side of the Picture'
The anti-social habit of segregating periodicals and perhaps'
forgetfully letting them lie for- an indefinite period amidst the
heap of unused books on private tables appears to be most
prevalent in professional, colleges and universities. Of course,
plausible excuses and justifications may be forthcoming. But
the Second Law would only ask them to look at the other side
of the picture and calmly consider the little sacrifice that is
required on the part of individuals to form a systematic habit
of periodically going to a central place to use them and the
immensely greater chance such a habit will give to an immen-
sely large number of students and other readers, who perhaps
are less influential and command less leisure and facilities but
are no less interested in their use.
487 Seeking Special Privilege
Those that short-sightedly revolt against the time-rule, fine-
rule, reference-book-rule and periodicals-rule are not so diffi-
cult to handle. They at least call a spade a spade. But a much
more intractable reader is one who concedes everything and
says ''Yes, your rules are all necessary. Everybody should
respect them if everybody is to have the fullest benefit. But
let me alone be exempted.” This special privilege may be
claimed on several grounds. One may say " I am a member of
the Municipal Council (or whatever body it may be) that
manages the library. Hence, I should be shown special con-
siderations. One special consideration that I elect to ask is
exemption from all library rules.” Another may say in a crisp
form, "Wherever I go, I am given special privileges.” They
would appear to measure the happiness of their life by the
number of occasions on which they get preferential treatment,
in suppression of rules and regulations.
256
“ 'SECOND LAW "AND ITS IMPLICATIONS 487i
4871 Criterion .for Special Privilege ■
Instances like this may be multiplied' ai#
suffice it to say that the criterion of the Second Law in ■giving
special privileges is not the . reader’s social status, official
position, or love.and, delight, of .special treatment, but the capa-
city to fully and genuinely utilise such special privileges, which
by their very nature should affect the ordinary privileges of
other readers prejudicially. Hence the obligation that the
Second Law would throw on the readers is to try one’s best
to coii,form to the Library Rules and ask for special privileges'
sparingly and only when it ' is absolutely impossible to have
one’s' requirements fulfilled without them.
257
CHAPTER 5
THIRD LAW
50 Enunciation
We shall now pass on to a consideration of the Third Law.
While it resembles that First Law in making its approach
from the side of the books, it is in a sense a complement to
the Second Law. While the Second Law concerned itself with
the task of finding for every reader his appropriate book, the
Third Law would urge that an appropriate reader should be
found for every book. In fact, the Third Law is ‘Every
Book its Reader.’
501 Comparison
While the First Law revolutionised the outlook of the
libraries, the Third Law would make that revolution as
thorough as possible. It will be seen, further, that the implica-
tions of the Third Law are not less exacting than those of the
Second Law. We shall devote this chapter to an account of
the different devices employed by libraries to fulfil the require-
ments of the Third Law.
502 Means
Perhaps a cynic may suggest the obvious device of having
as few books as possible in the librai-y. But such a device is
ruled out by the extensive requirements of the Second Law ;
and its inconsistency with the Fifth Law will become apparent
in a later chapter. The most prominent of the means used by
libraries to satisfy the Third Law is the Open Access System.
The other devices relate to shelf-arrangement, catalogue
entries, reference service, the opening of certain popular de-
partments, publicity methods, and extension work.
51 Open Access System
By ‘ Open Access ’ is meant the opportunity to see and
examine the book collection with as much freedom as in one’s
258
THIRD LAW
5i2
own private library. . In an open access library^ the reader is
permitted to wander among the books and lay his hands on
any of 4hem. at' his will and pleasure. The powerful service
that this system renders to the Third Law. can be realised by
those who have watched a library change from' a, " Closed *
; to an "Open Access’ state. It is a matter of common experience
that the change increases the number of volumes drawn for:
use. More important than that is the frequency with which
readers' "make discoveries.' Not a day passes without some'
readers exclaiming with an agreeable surprise' ""I didn’t
knoW' that you had this book ! ”
511 Example 1
It was only the other day that I found a student picking
out Roland K. Wilson’s The province of the state from the
shelf, where it had had about eight years’ undisturbed rest
prior to the introduction of the open access system. I asked
the student who recommended the book to him. He said he
did not know of the existence of the book and that he hit
upon it by sheer chance, as he was browsing round the Politics
region. This chance occurs almost every minute in an open
access library.
512 Example 2
Here is another telling instance. The secretary of the local
Teachers’ Guild asked me for materials bearing on Secondary
Education and Matriculation, I took him round the shelves
to show him some of the presidential addresses of the Educa-
tion Section of the British Association for the Advancement
of Science. As I was pulling out the volumes and scanning the
nature of the presidential addresses, the secretary, who was
browsing round the neighbouring shelves, came back with a
great joy exclaiming "I have found out what I wanted.’ He
had a thin red quarto in his hand. It was Volume I, No. 1 of
the Universities review. An article in it entitled The Dandelion
and the Jack contained just the idea he wanted. This red
volume had been lying on the shelf for some months quite
259
'512 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
untouched by the hand of any but the peon on dusting duty.
But for the introduction of the open access system, probably
it should have remained like that for ages without ever find-
ing its reader.
513 Shop Analogy
If there is faith in the Third Law, it is as absurd and as
ineffective for a library to deny open access and simply offer
to produce any book on request, as it would be for a busy
shop to lock up its wares in wooden cupboards and expect
its wares to sell. The shop, which is anxious to see every one
of its things pass into customers’ hands, allows complete
open access even to its tiny articles. Customers are allowed
to come in crowds, browse round and handle any article. It
looks on all people as potential customers and in its anxiety
to find a buyer for every article, apparently lets the people
loose inside its premises. Any visitor to that shop is sure to
be convinced of the eflicacy and the wisdom of that method.
Exactly, the same method should be adopted by a library
that wants to find a reader for every book on its shelves.
514 History
It is a matter of common experience that the majority of
readers do not know their requirements and that their inter-
ests take a definite shape only after seeing and handling a well-
arranged collection of books. This factor came to be recog-
nised only during the last 10 or 15 years in Great Britain.
But in America, where the sway of the Third Law established
itself even earlier, ‘ Open Access ’ had been brought into the
service of that law even before the close of the nineteenth
century.
515 Long View
That a long view should be taken by the library authorities
with regard to ‘ Open Access ’ is illustrated by the following
extract describing the then new American tendency : —
“ As a rule, the newer libraries are allowing a great amount
260
THIRD LAW
517
of freedom in direct access, to shelves on Ihe part of all asers
of the library. Many of the more recent buildings have been
planned so that the visitor may go directly to the shelves, and
many of the older buildings have been remodelled to permit
this practice; In. almost every way this has been a gain. There
has' come with it no small loss of books. But that loss is in-
significant in view of the greatly increased use of the libraries
which has resulted from easy, contact with books.”*
516 Unavoidable Loss
Thus the sway of the Third Law has even convinced the '
Library Authorities of the wisdom of acquiescing in the
unavoidable loss and sacrifice of a few volumes to increase the
chances for securing for Every Book its Reader. But let not
this remark mislead one to infer that a heavy loss of books
from year to year is a necessary concomitant of the *;Open '
Access ’ system. On the other* hand, experience shows that
the loss from theft is really negligible. A proper measure of
the theft is the percentage of the number of books lost to the
number of books issued in a year. Using such a measure,
Miss Isabel Ely Lord, the Librarian of Pratt Institute Free
Library, has demonstrated with elaborate statistics. that the
theft in " Open Access’ libraries is not much greater than in
‘Closed’ libraries. She estimated the mean loss per year as
“17 in every 10,000 circulated.”®^^ After examining the sta-^
tistics of the Croydon Public Library for several decades,
W. C. Berwick Sayers confirmed this estimate in a letter of
his in 1947.
517 Book Thief
Again, where a theft occurs, it is almost invariably the act
of some one or two deliberate and persistent thieves. “The
general public are not thieves. Thieves from libraries are a
class like burglars. One man commits a large number of
burglaries and creates a great deal of trouble ; but this does
not prove that the whole population of a village or town is
burglariously inclined. The benefit of open shelves is indis-
261
517 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY
putable, and the probable loss of two or three hundred books
per anmim at a total cost of perhaps $150 may be considered
small, if the salaries which would be required for one, fand
possibly two more assistants, not to mention page-boys, etc.,
had to be paid.”^''*
518 Tropics
Perhaps, we in the tropics may add that the loss is small
when compared with the loss due to the perishing of paper
and the ravages of insects, provided certain safeguards against
thefts are introduced.
52 Shelf Arrangement
Even in an open access library, the chances for the fulfil-
ment of the Third Law can be made or marred by the prin-
ciple adopted for the arrangement of books on the shelves.
Arrangement by size or (except in literature) by the alpha-
betical sequence of the author’s name is as arbitrary as arrange-
ment by the colour of the cover. Ordinarily, it is not the
size of a book or its author (except in literature) that deter-
mines the kind of person that will use it. It is its subject-
matter. Hence, it is by the subject-matter that the books
should be arranged on the shelves if they are to be given a
reasonable chance to find their readers.
521 Classified Arrangement
A well articulated classified arrangement of the books on a
subject basis is what, the Third Law would recommend. It
can be easily seen that, if all the dozen books that the library
may possess on, say, Alternating Currents are kept together
and in close proximity to the other books on Electrical Engi-
neering, there will be a much greater probability for each of
them to be picked up by a reader than when they are scat-
tered among perhaps a hundred thousand volumes, in accor-
dance with the freak of the alphabet building up the names
of authors.
262
THIRD LAW
525
522 Recent Additions Shelf
The subject-matter of the ■ book is not, however, the only
factor that can arrest the attention of the visitors . of the.
library. Psychologists teli us ■ that ‘'recency "is an important
ftictor in securing attention. The Third Law would expect the
library staff to , exploit this factor as well, in the arrange-
ment of books on the shelves and it is now a common prac-
tice in libraries to have a separate Recent Additions Shelf "
very near the entrance. The soundness 'of the ; psychologisf s
dictum about recency " is usually well demonstrated by the
rapidity with which the Recent Additions Shelf gets emptied.
It is this shelf that invariably gives the maximum satisfaction
to the modern' librarian, who, under the influence of the
Third Law, is greatly worried by the books that won’t leave
the s,helves.
523 .Re-Arrangement
'Novelty ’in shelf-arrangement is another means, not in-
frequently adopted to attract the attention of the visitors to
books that need help in finding their readers. An occasional
redistribution of the contents of shelves may help in esta-
blishing fresh contacts between men and books.
524 Show-case
Another usual device employed in this connection is the
location of small attractive show cases with books in strate-
gic positions of the reading-room and the stack-room, labelled
with catching legends like ' Books worth looking into,’ ' Books
of the hour,’ ' Interesting books recently unearthed ’ ' Long-
forgotten but useful books ’ and so on.
525 Accessibility
Another important factor in shelf-arrangement which has
a decided effect on the Chance of a Book to get Its Reader is
its easy accessibility or otherwise. Books within the comfort-
able reach of a reader of average height are much better
263
53
FIVE LAWS OF L I B R AR Y SG IE N G E
used. I have experimented with an assorted set of books by
placing them for a few weeks on the top-most shelf, which is
6| feet from the ground, on the bottom-most shelf, which is
only 6 inches from the ground, and on the intermediate
shelves. The books found readers more frequently while on
the intermediate shelves than while on the others. Shelves
at a height greater than 6i ft. are a standing defiance of the
Third Law. The Third Law would insist that the top-most
shelf of a book rack should be within the easy reach of a
man of average height standing on the floor. Similarly, shelves
broader than what is necessary to hold one row of books
are great sources of temptation for the library staff to arrange
two rows on them one behind the other, with the result that
the books of the hind row are denied the chance to get their
readers. A specification for a book rack of right dimensions
possessing certain other features that are necessary in the
light of the other Laws of Library Science is given in the
appendix.
53 Catalogue
While well-thought-out shelf-arrangement is necessary, it is
by no means sufficient to get for Every Book its Reader.
The catalogue also can be of immense help in this matter. It
even occasionally happens that a reader is more favourably
impressed about the usefulness of a book when he sees its
catalogue entry, although its size, get-up and other features
might lead him to overlook it while examining the shelf.
This may look strange but experience shows that it does
happen.
531 Example
Perhaps, a recent occurrence may be cited as an example.
A scholar asked one day for material on migration of popu-
lation. He was taken to the shelf containing the books on the
subject. There were at the most two dozen volumes. He turned
them through and a little Igter he was helped to examine the
catalogue cards relating toraat class — particularly the red
264
1
cross-reference cards. But, his attention was arrested by a
couple of titles on the white main cards themselves and lie
eagerly said " Where are these two books ? I did not find them
on the shelf/ But the books were actually there.
Viz.., Reprint and Circular Series
No. 48, Work of :the Committee on. Scientific Problems of Human
Migration ; and No. 87, Final Report of the Committee of Scien-
tific Problems of Human Migration.
They were thin unprepossessing pamphlets published by
the National Research Council. After looking into them he
found them so interesting that he felt thankful that he was
taken to the catalogue, as he would have otherwise missed
those two useful publications on account of their thinness
and unimposing appearance. Here it must be remembered
that the reader was one who was an experienced researcher,
whose daily work should have involved the scanning of the
shelves of libraries.
532 Series Entry
Apart from this general service of the catalogue to the cause
of the Third Law, there are certain classes of catalogue entries
which are specially conducive to the fulfilment of the Third
Law. They are Series Entries and Subject Cross-Reference
Entries. The Series Entry in the catalogue enters a book
under the name of the Series to which it belongs, if it belongs
to a serial publication. It occurs in the alphabetical index
part of the catalogue. In the sequence of cards, all the cards
with the same series as the heading are brought together, so -
that it discloses at once all the books that belong to the Series.
Now, let us take, as an example, the Home University Lib-
rary Series. There are books on several subjects included in
this series. They are all written by recognised authorities in
the respective subjects. Further, the exposition is popular and
the style, non-technical. Even non-specialists can benefit by a
perusal of the volumes and do like to do so. If a volume of
this series gets only an author-entry, one who is not a special-
ist in the subject with which it deals may be scared away by
265
532
FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
the title of the book and by the name of the specialist, who
is put down as the author. On the other hand, a specialist
in the subject knowing, as he will, that it is a popular book,
may not go in for the book. Thus, the book may not get a
reader at all. But, the series entry of the book will make the
non-specialist reader at least go in for the book with eagerness.
Instances of this nature may be easily multiplied. There may
also be various other considerations that lead readers to
pursue their study through books belonging to well-known
series. Hence, a catalogue with a complete set of Series Ent-
ries may prove to be of great help in securing for Every Book
Its Reader.
533 Subject Cross Reference Entry
The Subject Cross-Reference Entry may be even of greater
service. This entry will occur in the classified part of the
catalogue. It will have a subject as its heading and mention
the books placed under other subjects but dealing partly with
the subject in the heading, stating whenever possible the
particular pages which may be relevant. A book may be
cross-referred in this manner from several subject headings.
5331 Example 1
For example, it has been found necessary to prepare ten
cross-reference cards for More’s Shelbourne essays. It is
extremely doubtful if it is likely to get its legitimate quota of
readers from among the students of Metaphysics, if its
excellent essay entitled Pragmatism of William James is not
cross-referred from Pragmatism.”
5332 Example 2
The experience of the Essays and studies published by the
English Association gives another practical demonstration of
the service that cross-reference can render to the Third Law.
These volumes were adorning the shelves for years with but
an occasional sojourn into readers’ hands; somehow the
name of “ English Association ” and the look of the books
266
THIRD LAW:
5334
liad led the, majority of students to regard these Essays and
studies aS' too high-browed to be of interest to any but the
.severest specialist. The Third Law had a very, hard time of it
in, finding readers for them. 'But from the Hioment the indivi-
■dual , essays were cross-referred from : appropriate headings^
the volumes would seldom stay on the shelves. For example,
the cross-reference from the heading Shelley, criticism”
to the essay on Platonism in Shelley in the fourth volume of
the set, began to draw to it a continuous stream of borrowers.
It went out on loan on 23 December, on 2. January, on,
21 ■ .January, on 25 January, on 4 February, on 13 February,
OB ' 12 March, and so on without' any rest. It was , such a
triumph for the Third Law, that the Second Law' was hard
put' to it to find this book for every reader that' asked for it.
In fact, the demand for' the book could be met only by
restricting the loan for a shorter period than usual and
regulating the issue by registration in advance.
5333 Example 3
Another interesting example of the extraordinary power of
subject cross-reference in finding for Every Book Its Reader
is the case of the ponderous composite volumes constituting
the Complete works of Count Rumford. A cross-reference
card with the heading “ Coffee ” to pages 615-660 of the fifth
volume containing an essay entitled Of the excellent qualities
of coffee and the art of making it in the highest perfection
made ail the difference in the career of that volume. Instead
of being an inert victim to the piercing ravages of silverfish,
it began its unending series of triumphant marches to the
residence of one reader after another.
5334 Example 4
Even with books that are generally popular, a careful cross-
reference entry cap increase their circle of readers. For ex-
ample, Will Durant’s Mansions of philosophy began to
attract a newer and wider circle of .readers as soon as its
tenth chapter, which is on Breakdown of marriage, got a
267
5334 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY .SCIENCE
cross-reference card with the .heading' -'Marriage.”
534 Cataloguing .Staff
These few instances are sufficient to illustrate the import-
ance of cross-reference in increasing the use of books. The
Third Law would therefore urge the library authorities not to
plead the bogey of economy and shortage of funds when the
proposal for the necessary staff for cross-referencing work
comes up before them. We shall have occasion to go in detail
into the profit and loss account of cross-referencing work
' When we discuss the Fourth Law. But it is enough to state
here ' that, if the authorities have any faith in the Third Law,
they should provide for a profusion of crovss-references.
These are called Analytical Entries. They should provide the
necessary technical staff to have the contents of every one of
the books of the library analysed threadbare and brought to
the notice of every possible class of readers by means of ap-
propriate cross-references.
54 Reference Service
Thus, open-access, classified arrangement and analytical
cataloguing are three of the necessary devices employed for get-
ting for Every Book Its Reader. But such mechanical devices
are seldom sufficient. It is doubtful whether open-access can
achieve all that it can for the Third Law if the library staff
interpret open-access to mean “Provide the books and keep
out of the way of the readers as much as possible."’ In such
a case, several of the books and not a few of the readers may
have to share the fate of the beast between hay-stacks. Again,
it is doubtful whether the card catalogue, by itself, will ever
become the guide, philosopher and friend of the ordinary
reader of a library. The inherent difficulties of an analytical
catalogue are many and serious. It may be safely said that
an average analytical card catalogue will always be in need of
an interpreter.
THIK0 LAW
543
_541 Canvassing Agent ■
The mechanical organisation of a library— however desir-
. able— can never' be carried to' the point of .dispensing with
personal service. The requirement of the Third Law defies and
transcends machinery. It will always require the provision of
human beings as "‘canvassing agents'’ for books. It is im-
perative that certain members of the staff should , be set apart
sokly to assist the reader in the .use of the catalogue and in
the choice of books. Their business should be to interpret the
books to the readers and to canvass readers, so to speak, fG.r
the books. The provision of such a staff— the '"reference staff ’
■as it is called — is one of the effective devices employed by
modern libraries to carry out the: mandate of the Third
Law.
542 Contact with Readers
The Reference Department of a library is expected to serve
the reader in the way in which large traffic companies serve
travellers in giving them illustrated folders of the new places
they would like them to visit. The staff on Reference Duty
have exceptional opportunities to mingle with the passing
throng of readers. This direct contact with the readers brings
with it opportunities to observe their tastes and wants, their
actions and reactions and their likes and dislikes. As a result
of such direct contacts, an experienced Reference Librarian
instinctively relates readers to books and conversely a book
frequently suggests a reader to whom it will appeal. He knows
his community and is familiar with its mind, spirit and do-
minant interests. He seeks to have his finger on the piilse of
his public and is ever on the wait for an opportunity to find
a reader for every book.
543 Kaleidoscope
In the hands of a competent Reference Librarian, a library
is like a kaleidoscope. His skill consists in turning its facets
in such a way that they can all be seen and that each facet
269
543
FIVE LAWS, OF ■LIBRARY S C I E N C e' : ' ' : ^
may attract those for whom it has interest. This . is the kind
of service that the Third Law expects from the Reference
Staff.
544 House-to-House Survey
In recent years, the eageniess- to serve the cause of the
Third Law seems to have led some of the libraries of the New
World even to undertake house-to-house surveys. A card is
provided for each house to record the number of members,
their ' respective occupations, their reading interests and
whether they are already library borrowers. A cabinet of
cards of this nature gives a useful picture of the social life
and the intellectual interests of the residents of the locality.
It is the business of the Reference Staff to spot out potential
readers from the records of such a survey and try to convert
them into actual readers.
55 Popular Departments
This brings us to the problem of converting potential
readers into actual readers. The first step in this problem is
to attract such potential readers to the library. One method
that is ordinarily used for this purpose is to provide the
library with a Newspaper Room and a Magazine Room. They
generally occupy a disproportionately large floor area and yet
they are tolerated on account of their value in this respect.
It is a matter of common experience that the Magazine Room
attracts a larger crowd than the library proper and that the
News Room is even more crowded than the Magazine Room.
The library staff would go into these popular rooms at inter-
vals, get into touch with their patrons and try to lead some
of them on to the stack-room and the reading-room. Thus,
apart from the Newspapers and Magazines furnishing direct
reading matter, they are also coming to be used as regular
baits. Such an exploitation of the craving, which humanity
seems to have for news of an ephemeral nature, is one of the
methods regularly adopted by libraries to increase the chance
for Every Book to Get Its Reader.
270
THIRD LAW
561
■ 551 Law of Probability /
The Third Law ■ would depend on the law of probability,
according to which the chance for Every Book Getting Its
Reader would increase with the increase in the iiuniber of
persons visiting the library. Once this desire of the Third Law;
came to be recognised, one obvious corollary was' that' Hbr ae-
ries' should adopt all the recognised methods of publicity,
56 Febllcity , '
■■Apart from the insistence of the Third Law,' the . libraries-
stand in need of publicity for other reasons as well It is no-
wonder that, when the library has been extending its scope,
changing its outlook and altering its. very character and func-
tions, there should not be adequate understanding among the-
public as to what has been going on. For some, the library
is still medieval, to others it is principally a purveyor of
entertaining novels. Surprise is continually expressed when
the public discover the width of its service and the catholicity
of its interests. I didn’t know that you had Music books ? ”
‘‘ Are you open on holidays ? I didn ’t know that.” ‘‘ I didn’t
know that your catalogue is so analytical.” Such expressions
as these, no doubt, interest and please the librarian; but
they are also a disquieting indication that a knowledge of
the service tie offers has not yet spread over the entire public.
They make it evident that well considered publicity, is as
necessary for the public library as for a commercial firm, in
order that the public may know of its existence and of the
varied service that it offers.
561 Value
In a paper on Library publicity methods. Miss Wildred
Othmer Peterson, Director of Publicity of Des Moines Public
Library, says,''^^’ Publicity, the art of influencing Public
Opinion, in all its varied forms holds a large place in the
world of men to-day. It has proved its value to the business
world for, had it not, certain firms in this country would not
271
561 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
spend as much as a million dollars a year for publicity. If
publicity is important to them is it not also important to
Libraries ? The only differences, however, are that librarians,
in a great many cases, need to be educated to the importance
of publicity and that libraries do not have the millions to
spend. Every library now directs much time and thought to-
wards publicity. The press lends its powerful aid and even
such agencies as Moving pictures and Radio are enlisted.”
562 Publicity Round Table
Library publicity has, in fact, become a special branch of
the art of publicity. Books are written about it, and in the
United States, there is a publicity committee of the American
Library Association, with a paid publicity officer. ThisCom-
* mittee holds what is known as Publicity Round Table at
each of the annual conferences of the Association. “ State-
wide publicity ” is said to be the key-note of the Publicity
Round Table. The extraordinary methods that California
adopts to popularise its library system and to attract its in-
habitants to its libraries in as large a number as possible are
indicated in a paper discussed in the Fifty-Second Annual
Conference of the American Library Association held
in 1930.”®
563 General Publicity
Broadly speaking, library publicity falls into two classes —
general publicity and individual publicity. General publicity
is of the type “ Eat more fruits ” and “ Buy more khaddar ”
without mentioning any special fruit-merchant or khaddar-
merchant. Such general publicity in the library sphere maj
try to emphasise —
“ (1) The value of books and reading ; the superior-
ity of the book as a source of opinion, information, inspira-
tion, education, over other forms of print ;
(2) The library as a public institution, publicly sup-
ported and administered ;
(3) The all round service of a live library, empha-
272
: .THIRD LAW' ' ,5641'
sisiog re.'f€rence semce,... adult .education: , a„od, other less known
aspects.
, (4) Some accepted library standards, as,... book cir-
culation per capita, book ownership per capita...
5631 Medium
Such .general .publicity would fall within . the sphere .of
central orga'iiisations like the Madras Library Association or
the State Department of Public Libraries,, , if such a depart-,
ment is established. Even in countries like America and
England, '‘'t.lie need of organised, centralised, library publi-
city'’' is. being emphasised and pFov,ided for. Contiiiuoiis
publicity is ca.rried on through press-notices, magazine arti-
cles,..radio-talks, public lectures, demoiistratio.n tours, attrac-
tive sign-boards, periodical and itinerant exhibitions . and the
free distributions of leaflets and bulletins. The Japanese Li-
bra,ry Association arranges for a coun try- wide celebratio,ii of
a book-week in November. S'uch general publicity should be,'
the predominant part of the library publicity in India, under
the conditions that obtain at present.
564 Individual Library
In addition, individual libraries should see that their service
is co'nstantly brought to the notice of the public in an effective
way. It is worth while for large libraries to have a special
publicity assistant. It should be the 'business of' such an
assistant or. of the librarian himself yif such an assistant does
not exist, to adopt all the recognised methods of attracting
the public to the library, so that every potential reader may
be converted into an actual one, thereby increasing the
chances for the fulfilment of the Third Law. In organising its
publicity campaign, a library should bear in mind the general
principles of publicity, such as continuity, variety, novelty,
clarity and personal appeal.
5641 Press
Perhaps the cheapest and the most easily available medium
273
5641 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY .SCIENCE .
for library publicity is. the- Press. -The library slixwld keep it-
self in touch with the local .newspapers. The : newspapers
would generally be willing to allow some space in. the gene,ral
news column and the local- news column for information
about the library. .It is desirable that the librarian or the
publicity assistant should frequently consult the editors and
■ try to coiifo.r.m to their instructions in the' matter of style,
length, periodicity and. other details, so that the matter sent
by the library can be directly passed on to the compositors,
with the least editorial labour possible. It may be useful to
■publish certain types of information such as recent additions,
statistics of readers and issues and 'similar data on definite
days of the week or dates of the month, so that the public
may know' when to look for them. They will act as syste-
matic reminders to the public. It is not uncommon that the
number of visitors to the library is slightly greater on the 2nd
or 3rd of each month, as a result of the monthly statistics
appearing in the local news column on the evening of the Isl.
In addition to such systematic statements, the library should
seek to appear in the press at odd intervals, whenever an op-
portunity offers itself for announcement such as, changes
in the issue method, changes in the arrangement of books,
changes in the hours, receipt of free gifts of special col-
lections, improvements in the amenities to the public,
participation of the library in exhibitions and conferences
and occurrence of events about which special bibliogra-
phies may be prepared. The library staff may also be
encouraged to contribute occasionally readable articles bear-
ing on the humourous side of library experiences. It may be
desirable to send to the newspapers occasional reports or
extracts about the outstanding events in the libraries of other
lands. Such publications sometimes rouse the curiosity of the
public and induce them to take greater interest in their own
libraries.
5642 News-Sheet
Next to the Press, mention may be made of the issue of
274
564J:
' THIRD LA
P:riii:tecl. or typed lia'iidbiils and news-sheets, A good diiplicai-
iiig JTiaclime is a great necessityfor libraries to use this fonii
of publicity. It would be cheaper to use such a machine than
to. print.. Recent additions, ■■special bibliographies, iiotiiica-
tion.s, about changes' of methods, descriptive, notes about the
personal service offered by -the Re.fereiice Staff, and several
such aimo'iincements can be issued in this manner both to
tliose who are already on the members" list and to those .who
are yet to be attracted to the li'brary. Although a little .more
costly, unlike the Press method of publicity, this 'form :does
not depend on the co-operation of outside agencies. It would
also give ample scope for the resourcefulness, of the library
sta'If. It would be an advantage to keep a chronological and
a classified, file of such materials for future guidance.
5643 Library Bulletin
A more costly mode of publicity, adopted by some libraries
is that of piibiis.hing a. printed periodical, , e.g., Readers'
index of the Croydon Public Library ; of the New
York Public Library ; Harvard library notes of the Harvard
University Library; of the John Rylands LibraTy,
Manchester. Such library periodicals seek : —
‘•' (a) to interest the public in the library as an
institution,
(b) to keep the public informed of all the library’s
activities and facilities,
(c) to relate books to the existing tastes and inter-
ests of the public,
(d) to relate fresh topics to those about which
borrowers already read,
(c) to arouse fresh interests,
(/) to keep the reader in touch with methods that
can be followed up in books, and
(g) generally to stimulate — in an attractive "*geotlc”
way — education, vocational and other, and
These periodicals usually contain an annotated list of recent
275
5643 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE ,
additions as well as of : books^; of ; topical; :mtere^
articles dealing with the varying; forms of the activities of the
library and illustrated accounts of matters of local interest
which are capable of being connected with the library» Such
periodicals have usually to be distributed free, if they are to
serve their purpose. The cost ■ and labour involved are gene-
rally prohibitive unless it is possible to secure : a sufficient
number of advertisements.- ' ,
5644 Window Display
■ Another recognised form of publicity that may be adopted
by libraries is to arrange for occasional exhibitions. Some, of
the libraries of California are said to have provided them-
selves with window space for book displays. By a judicious'
variation in the selection and arrangement of display mate-
rial, stay-at-home books can be helped to find their readers.
5645 Radio
The radio is another medium that may well be harnessed
for library publicity. American libraries are said to be already
utilising this medium with remarkable success. For example,
Several libraries in Iowa broadcast occasional talks, while
the libraries at the Iowa -State College and Des Moines have
had regular programmes for the past several years. Two of
the . public - libraries, Des -Moines and Davenport, although
175 miles apart, are co-operating in a weekly broadcast of
15 minutes" duration, giving book and magazine reviews and
general information concerning books and authors letters
expressing interest and requesting information have been recei-
ved from listeners as far distant as 750 However,
the report presented to the 1930 Conference of the American
Library Association by the Committee on Library Radio
Broadcasting expressed the view The consensus of opinion
seems to be that the value of library broadcasting as conduc-
ted at present remains to be proved. While there are obvious
advantages there are also many difficulties that remain to be
siirmoimted,""
276
THIRD LAW
5647"
■ 5646 Poster
Some libraries advertise their services b}? iiieaiis of posters,
la, fact, there is no direct form of' publicity that the libraries
do, HOt,. adopt. Here is' ' an;' account of :,one ingenious and
exterine form of advertisement, which has the flavour of the
marketing methods of a business' concern. "'D'oriiig the arniiial
fair which lasts for eight or ten days. ..to give publicity to the
Califoniia county library system, the large electrically lighted
county library map of California and Sacramanto county "used
at the A. L. A. Conference in Philadelphia is niaintaiiiedjn
a prominent place in the Agriculture Building. To emphasise
this publicity the county, libraries financed the .making of
tlioiisands ' of county library fans bearing on one side the
county, library sign and on the other information regarding
Califo,mia county libraries. Each day a county libraria'ii and
State Library Staff member passed out fans, to multitudes ,of
adults. The fans served to suggest many questions by the
visitors and gave an opportunity to explain the county library
system, and to illustrate from the electrically lighted map
points that needed clarifying visually. People from the coun-
ties, of California which are without any county library...
were among the interested recipients of this novel bit of
publicity.’’
5647 Personal Talk
But, by far the simplest and the least expensive method of
publicity is direct personal talk. This method can convert
many persons into regular readers, if the library has on its
staff one or two members with the necessary personality and
power of speech to address gatherings of probable readers.
It has been found from experience that if such addresses are
to be effective too much time should not be spent on vague
and general subjects like the benefits of reading or the services
of a library in general. After a very short preliminary refer-
ence to topics of such a nature, one should rapidly descend
to particulars and dwell in detail upon the specific services
277
5647 FIVE LAWS OF:.LIB;R.A'R Y S Cl E.N.C E, ■
tliatihe library in question' can-Tender' to the members, of the
gathering. It may be serviceable to present comparative stati-
stics of membership and book-issues. At the same time, one
should not be carried away, by enthusiasm to promise to Serve
more than what the limitations of staff and' stock, vvoeld
permit. The reactions of such unfuifilied promises ' will do
more hariiT than good to the Third .Law.
5648 Example
; ; The accompanying table and the graph showing the growth
of issue in the Madras University Library illustrate the xesuit
of such personal a,ppeals. . '
Year.
No. o,f
Vois.
Year.
No. of
Vols.
Year.
No. of
Vols.
1914
.. 5,100
1920 .
.. 22,236
19.26 ..
42,336
1915
.. 11,600
1921
.. 27,920
1927 .
. 70,914
1916
.. 11,600
1922
... 24,975
1928 ..
. 79,756
1917
.. 14,000
1923
... 22,339
1929 ..
. 99,600
1918
.. 15,000
1924
... 20,075
1930 ..
. 1,13,321
1919 .
.. 15,300
1925
... 27,629
Jn the year 1927, several visits were made to students' hostels,
and small groups of undergraduates were addressed whenever
an opportunity occurred. Professors of colleges' who took
interest in the matter were requested to mention ' in their
lecture hours the services offered ' by - the library. That these
quiet personal appeals had the desired effect may be seen from
the steep ascent of the graph during the year , 1 927.- In later
years, as the increase of staff could not keep pace with the
increase of work in the Reference- Section, audio, the Counter
Section, it was found necessary 'to,, 'Suspend this publicity
campaign, though with great .reluctance. : But there.'.'iS' ample
need for reviving and keeping., .up the campaign if the "inte,r.es.t.s,
of the Third Law are to be properly served.
278
279
57 Extension Service
Apart from such methods of pure' publicity, libraries are
nowadays developing certain new types of .work which, in
addition to their being, d.ircctiy educative or recreatio.iiah lead
also to piiMicity as a,n important , sec product. Such
lines of activity may be referred to as' '‘the exteiisioii
service of libraries. The object of extension service may be
said to be an attempt to turn the library into a social centre
whose function is. the encouragement of reading- Its aim is
to make readers of non-readers, to create and stimulate the
desire for good reading and to 'bring book and reader to-'
gethe,r. Libraries that have come under the influence of the
Third Law value these aims highly and take to extension
service with great, zeal
571 Reading to Illiterates
One form of extension service that is very urgent in our lib-
raries of to-day is the institution of the, ' reading system.* As
a result of the high percentage of illiteracy that prevails, the
present generation of illiterate adults can be made to have
the benefits of library service only by arranging to have books
read to them at stated hours either by paid readers or by
honorary readers who are actuated by a spirit of social ser-
vice. We have seen in the third chapter, how this 'reading
system^ coupled with the formation of clubs for the. liquida-
tion of illiteracy has even converted many an illiterate adult
into eager literate readers in postwar Russia. There is no rea-
son why libraries, with this extension side properly develop-
ed, may not provide a sure solution of a similar problem in
Adult Education in India as well.
572 Translation in Manuscript
Owing to paucity of books on current thought in the South
Indian Languages, this form of - extension service may have
to be carried even further. To induce and maintain the inter-
ests of the illiterate workmen in books and in hearing books
280
THIRD LAW
573
read, it would be necessary to read to them, not only books
of a religious or recreational nature, but also , books of use-
ful knowledge dealing with their daily avocation and leading
to increased efficiency in their work. In the absence of such
books in the mother tongue and in the absence of any pros-
pect of such books being printed,, the •only practicable course
would be for the library to prepare a .manuscript translation
of suitable books from E.nglish and have the manuscripts read,
to them. It must be possible to find, among the English .'know-
iiig local residents, persons willing to do the translation as a
piece of social service. If each, library in a district undertakes
the translation of one or two books in. a year and all such
manuscript books are systematically exchanged between the
different libraries, an appreciable region of knowledge can be
provided for in a reasonable time. If no competent non»com.-
mercial agency like ihe State or the Universities .would
undertake the initial supply of such books on useful know-
ledge, this seems to me to.be the only practical way of
cutting the vicious circle of the law^ of supply and demand. But
this extreme phase of extension service is only a st.ri.ctly tempo-'
rary expedie.iit, .for which there will be no need as soon as a
market is created for the publishers to step in.
573 Reading Circle
A second form of extension work that the libraries may
pursue iS' that 'of organising reading circles. Persons pursuing
particular subjects for profit or pleasure may be brought to-
gether by the, libraries, so as to form a reading circle. Each
such circle may have a leader and not less than two and not
more than five other members. The library may give special
facilities for such reading circles in the matter of books, perio-
d,icals andraeeting places. For this purpose a library should
have a suitable suite of small seminar rooms. Such reading
circles are usually effective agencies in thoroughly exploiting
the resources of the library in their respective subjects of study
andJience their formation gives unusual satisfaction to the
Third Law.
281
L.S.' — 18.
574
FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
574 Intellectual Centre
One of the necessaiy conditions for such institutions becom-
ing popular is the fostering of a feeling of mutual cordiality
and helpfulness between those who offer service and those
who are served, together with a disposition to self-sacrifice.
To this end, the library should strive to reduce formality to a
minimum and make everyone fee! at home. As a natural ex-
tension of this attitude, a modern library even goes so far in
its effort as to make personal and social contacts and not in-
frequently offers meetingplace for local learned organisations
in an attempt to make them, as constituent parts of the
general public, feel that it desires to function as an intellectual
centre for the locality. Such meetings offer opportunities for
the exploits of the Third Law.
5741 Example
The possibilities of this form of extension service can be in-
ferred from “ the following statement of a small English
town library, of societies meeting there regularly — The British
Legion, Cage Birds’ Society, Chess Club, Draughtsclub,
Church Lads ’ Brigade, Church Mothers ’ Meeting, Church of
England Men’s Society, Folk Dance Society, two or three
friendly societies, The Free Church Mothers’ Meeting, The
Gardeners ’ Society, Grocers ’ Society, Farmers ’ LFnion, Na-
tional Union of Teachers, Radio Society, Woman’s Institute
and Workers’ Educational Association.”""^
575 Library Talk
Another common form of extension service is that of ar-
ranging for public lectures in the premises of the library. For
this purpose all modern library buildings are provided with
spacious lecture halls, fitted with a stage, a magic lantern, a
cinema apparatus and other related appliances. In addition
to the local associations being invited to hold their public
lectures in the library’s lecture hall, the library frequently
arranges for special library talks either by the members of its
282
576
THIRD LAW
Staff or by outside experts. One special feature of sudi li-
brary talks is the announcement of a select list of books on
the subject-matter of the talk that could be consulted in or
borrowed from the library. The subjects chosen for such
library talks are usually of local or topical interest. Scientific
subjects also come in for a good share. Such talks ought not
to be exclusively confined to topics of a religious, philosophi-
cal or puranic nature. But care should be taken to widen the
range of subjects and give a chance for every phase of current
thought. Whenever possible, it would be an advantage to
illustrate the talks with lantern slides and moving pictures.
5751 Kalakshepam
The unique South Indian Institution of Kalakshepam, with
its happy blend of music and talk, presents enormous poten-
tialities as an instrument of this form of extension service.
But due care should be taken, in this case also, to lift the
Kalakshepam from the narrow rut of subjects to which tradi-
tion appears to have assigned it.
5752 Music
In western countries where this institution is unknow'n, the
lecture hall is used for musical concerts as often as possible.
This enables the Third Law to find readers for the compara-
tively large quantity of printed music that is usually available
in those libraries.
576 Library Exhibition
It is not uncommon to display in the lecture hall the re-
sources of the libraiy' bearing on the event that is happening
there. Sometimes, a regular exhibition of such materials is
also arranged in an adjoining hall, through which the occu-
pants of the lecture hall have to pass at the close cf the
function. The books referred to in the lecture hall are care-
fully spread on tables, the most attractive plates greeting the
passers by. Smart attendants of the library patiently stand by
the side of the exhibits waiting for the man whose glance
283
576 FIVE LAW'S OF 'XIBRARY SCIENCE, ;.
would fall on tliem;: The moment^'^ a man is spotted out,,
tlie face of the attendant immediately brightens up; and w
an inviting smile she offers the book for his home use. Per-
haps the man being a non-member feels puzzled ; but, before
liis shyness is got over, the experienced attendant volunteers.
Never mind, if yo-u are not a member, you can have pri-
vilege issue to-day, if you so desire.” As these words are be-
ing uttered a few' red and green slips are inserted in the book
before it is offered to the wondering man with the encourag-
ing words '‘Take it with you— Will you mind remembering
to return this as' soon as you finish it or this day fortnight,
whichever is earlier?” When. this wondering man reaches
home and turns, the pages of the book with subdued excite-
ment, the red and green slips greet him with legends like '' Yo.u
are paying for the maintenance of this' library ; why don’t you
use.' it?” ‘‘To become a member' it needs no more formality
than' 'signing a card.” And so on. The audacious psychology
of this form of extension service seldom seems to result in the
man deliberately appropriating the book |5ermanently for his
private use.
577 Story Hour
Similar to the library talks for adults, libraries arrange also
for story hours, lantern talks, dramatisations and other
attractive forms of extension service and similar privilege issues,
to establish contact with the children of the locality. Again it
is not unusual for the library to arrange occasionally for dra-
matic performances by amateur troops. But in all such cases
the performances do not form an end in themselves but they
are all made to serve as aids to the ultimate satisfaction of
the exacting Third Law.
578 Festivals^ and .Fairs'. ' ,
Another form that extension service takes is the celebration
of local festivals and special- days -of 'the year dedicated to
particular persons or ideas and participation in local fairs.
Here again the demand of the 'Third Law is always kept in
284
581
THIRD LAW
tlie; forefront. 'In oiir own' .country, where such celebrations
are still, attracting large crowds of people, this form of exten.-
sioii service is' full of great potentialities for the cause of the
Third Law.
58 Bo.ok~Selectloii
Before taking leave of the Third Law, it may not be of
place .to mention an important bearing of this Law on Book-
Selection. In discussing the ' financial iiiip,lications of the
Second Law we had occasion to deal with this question fro,iB
a slightly different point of view. It can be easi'ly seen that
one of the means of. fulfilling the demands of the Third Law
is , to give full weight to the tastes and requirements of the
clientele of the library in Book-Selection w^ork. Some of the;
factors from which the tastes and requirements of the clientele
could be inferred are : —
1 the suggestions received directly from ' the
readers,
2 the suggestions . recorded by the assistants at the
Ready Reference Desk,
3 the notes made from' day to day by the Reference
Staff on floor duty,
4 the .main vocations of the Local .Public, .
5 the prospective events of national or local im-
portance,
6' the impressions gained in interviews with the,
leading members . of the local . coiniiiunity, and: ;
so on.
581 HaFHAZARD. S',EL,ECT{ON
If, in this manner, books are selected with full atlention to
probable demand, the difficulties of the Third Law would
be minimised to a large extent. But it should not be inferred
from this that the library should slavishly follow the demands
of readers and that it has no responsibility in steadily and
consciously directing the reading tastes of its clkntcle along
healthy chaniiels. The Third Law would have no quarrel
285
581 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SGIE.'NCE
whatever with this aiiii of Book-Selection but it ^ w
renioiistrafe against haphazard selection which is utterly
indifferent to the immediate and prospective requirements of
the readers. The. threat .of the ■ allotment lapsing .hi a few
days sometimes forces a Library Authority to rely solely on
the first trade list or catalogue, that chance 'might put in the
way. This is a danger that should be avoided. Book-Selection
is work that should be done from day to day taking into
account the demands of readers, the progress of publication
and the funds available.
286
■ CHAPTER- 6: . ^
FOURTH-LAW
60 iiifrodiictioii
- A¥e iiave seen in thelast five chapters that the iiiain, con-
'cern of the first three Laws of Library Science is to get the
books of the library used as fiiily and by as many persons as
possible. We have also seen that, however axiomatic those
laws appear to be, they have really begun to assert themselves
as ruling concepts only during the last few decades. We fur-
ther examined some of their implications and described the
changes they are bringing about in the outlook of libraries
and in the various aspects of library policy mid- adminis-
tration.
601 Comparison
We shall see in this chapter what further light is thrown on
some of these problems by the Fourth Law of Library
Science. This law makes its approach from the side of the
readers as was the case with the Second Law. Perhaps it may
even be said that the interest of the Fourth Law almost
completely centres round the readers-. Taking for granted
that Books are for Use, that Every Reader should be
SERVED HiS OR Her Book and that Every Book should
BE helped to find ITS READER, it proceeds to fashion the
library administration accordingly. In company with the Fifth
Law, it concerns itself with the situation that should arise as
the requirements of the first three laws come to be increa-
singly fulfilled. In dealing with the new problems of such a
situation, it introduces the element of time and concentrates
its attention entirely on the time-aspect of the problem.
602 Enunciation
Save the Time of the Reader — this is the Fourth Law of
Library Science. Perhaps this law is not so self-evident as the
others. None the less, it has been responsible for many re-
287
602:
FIV'E/.XAWS, OF, LIBRARY SCIENCE : A
.forms 'ill library admimstration and' has a great potentiality
for effecting many more reforms in the future. Perhaps the
.most coiivenieiit method of studying the consequences of this
.la\¥ will, be to follow a reader from the moment he eiiters'the
library, to the. moment he leaves.- it, critically examining each
process, which' he .has to go through,, with an , eye to ..the
';ecoiio,'iny of time that can be effected at each stage. , ,
61 ‘Closed’ System
'■ : Pe a reader does, on entering the
library,' is to discharge the used up books. But it will be con-
veoient to postpone the consideration of this process and take
it up along w:ith the method of charging, as the details of the '
two operations are, by their nature, interdependent.
611 A'pplying AND Writing
Hence, the main process that should be first studied in the
light' of the Fourth Law is the choice of books. In a ‘closed’
library, this has to be done entirely with the aid of the cata-
logue. The catalogue of a growing library is either of the
card form or of the paste-down form. If it is of the latter
form, even in a small library like the Madras University Lib-
rary with but 70,000 books, the catalogue runs through four-
teen folio-volumes. In the British Museum Library, the
paste-down “general catalogue now fills over 1,000 volu-
mes.A common heading like ‘Smith’ takes a volume all
for itself. Further the inevitable occurrence of certain general
headings, such as ‘ Academies ’ a-nd ‘ Periodicals ’ add further
complications. A good deal of time is naturally wasted in
hunting out for the required title in such a labyrinth of
entries. Having got them, one has to write them out with
great accuracy on separate slips and hand the slips over to
the man behind the barrier. Then follows the harassing inter-
val of waiting-*— for several minutes in small libraries and
even for hours in large ones. It is not unusual for readers of
the British Museum Library to apply for their books in the
forenoon and call for them after lunch. Some readers with
288
FOURTH LAW 613'
foretliouglit would . also send their' slips overnight to save time
on 'the next day. ,
■ 612 Causes OF DiSAPPOiNTMEN'T
If the library is popular, the loss of time due to the search
for entries and to the waiting at the counter- may recur seve«
ral times before the right book' is got. The recurrence may be'
due to many causes. After some time,- tlie slip may be return-
ed with the, ' endorsement entry incorrect.’’ - The spelling of
some essential part of the entry may be wrong. This would
render the tracing of the book impracticable. The group of
figures, constituting the press-mark or cal! number as it is
called, might have been wrongly copied.' Substitution of a
small letter for a capital or omission of a dot or a comma
might make all the difference. Or the slip may come back with
the endorsement '‘on loan” or “engaged.” Then the old
process of selection and waiting will have to be gone through
once again. Before the- Madras University Library changed
to ‘ open access,’ several cases used to occur almost every
day when the process had to be repeated half a dozen times
before a reader got some book. Again, when the book is
actually produced, it may turn out to be spurious or, for other
reasons, unsuitable to the reader. The catalogue entry might
not have given a clear enough indication of the nature of the
book. That means the repetition of the whole process over
again. These features would “ make the selection of i)ooks a
heart-break and a labour tinctured with disgust.”
613 Measure of Loss of Time
The average amount of time that a reader had thus to waste
at the counter in the Madras University Library in 1928 (just
before the open access system was introduced) was about half
an hour. The colossal nature of this waste can he realised if
we integrate over a full year the amount of time thus wasted
by the community as a whole. Let us lake as a convenient
unit of measure one person working for one hour. Let us call
this a ‘ Man-hour.’ Now, the average number of visitors in
289
:613^ ■: FIVE : LAWS : of library science
the library was .'200 per day. Thus, 100 man-hours were wast-
ed per day or -36,500 man-hours per annum. To realise its
economic significance, we must convert this into money. A
salary of Rs. 75 per mensem would correspond to half a rupee
per man-hour. Even with this low equivalent, the wastage for
which the 'closed system’ of the Madras University Library
was responsible in 1928 amounted to nearly Rs. 18,250 per
annum. In discussing the profit and loss^ account of the open
access system, one should give due weight to this aspect of
the matter. The Fourth Law would insist , that, in deciding
large- questions of policy, such as open access vs. ' closed ’
system', the spirit of the - modern method of cost-accounting
should be adopted and long, broad and full views should be
taken, dealing with the community and the library as a whole.
An alarmist attitude should not be developed by isolating
the probable or actual loss of a few volumes in a yejir or by
taking any other partial view of the matter.
614 Influence of Business Method
In modern communities, such as those of America and
Engiand for whom time is money and money is time, the
slogan of the Fourth Law-— Save the Time of the Reader —
seems to have produced a profound impression. Further, the
recent tendencies in the evolution of business methods and
the rapid diffusion of the 'cost-accounting’ consciousness
not only among the leaders but even among the masses
* have led those communities to conclude that the balance
of advantage is decidedly in favour of the open access
system. In this system, the wastage due to waiting at the
counter is eliminated fully and the wastage due to wading
through cumbrous catalogues is reduced to a minimum
and may even be altogether unnecessary for many ordinary
readers.
615 Indicator System
Historically, an attempt was first made to eliminate the loss
of time due to books being on loan. This was done by the ingeni-
290
FOURT H LA W
621
ous invention, of the ' indicator system.’ ‘fA library indiGator,
as its name implies, is, a device for indicating or registering
information about books. The information usiialiy conveyed'
to the public is some kind- of indication of the presence or
absence of books, and the methods of .accomplishing this al-
most invariably take the form of displayed numbers, qualified
in such a way as to indicate books in and Several
patterns of indicators were invented from 1870 onwards. In
all cases, a large run of counter space had to be given iip for
accommodating these mechanical contrivances and this creat-
ed new problems.
616 Open Access
But as the Fourth Law gradually asserted itself still further
and insisted that the time, wasted in tracing the titles in, cata-
logues and waiting thereafter for the books to be brought by
attendants should also be saved, the indicators were slowly
given op and the open access system came to be regarded as
the only satisfactory device to Save the Time of the Reader.
Thus, the claims of the open access system, already advocated
by the Second and the Third Laws, came to be reinforced by
the Fourth Law, on grounds of national economy.
62. Shelf-Arrangemeiit
The interest of the Fourth Law is not exhausted however
with the introduction of open access. It has an equal interest
in reforming the shelf-arrangement. In an open access library,
the nature of the shelf-arrangement can make or mar the
mission of the Fourth Law,
621 Alphabetical Arrangement
One old fashioned method which still seems to persist in
some of our libraries is that of alphabetical arrangement by
the authors. But in the majority of cases, the interest of
readers goes by the subject rather than by the author. Even
in literature, the authors of the biographies and the critical
works are not as important as the author forming the subject
291
:62i
FIVE laws' OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
■QfbiQgrap^^
6211 Example
■ 'Let "ms n'ow follow our reader, for whom the Fourth Law
iias seeured :, admission into. the. stackroom and let us assume
that he is interested in Wave: Mechanics and that he desires to'
see as many books as possible, on that subject. If the library
' iS' an alphabetically arranged one, he will have to browse from
A to Z to spot out his books as there is a nearly equal chance
for each letter of the alphabet to be the initial letter of the
mames .' Of the authors of the books on that . subject. For
example, here are some titles on Wave Mechanics, that the
library inay possess : —
Biggs (H. F.) : Wave mechanics.
Birtwistle (George) : New quantum mechanics.
Bligh(N. M.): Evolution and development of the quantum
theory.
Born (Max) : Eiementare quanten mechanik.
Condon (Edward U.) : Quantum mechanics.
De Brogue (Louis) : Mecaniquc ondulatoire.
De Broglie (Louis) : Selected papers on wave mechanics.
Flint (H. T.): Wave mechanics.
Fowler (R. H.) : Passage of electrons through surface and surface
films.
Haas (Arthur) : Wave mechanics and the new quantum theory.
Lande (A.) : Neucre entwicklung der quantentheorie.
Rice (James): Introd. to statistical mechanics.
ScHRODiNGER (E.) : Coll. papers on wave mechanics.
ScHRODiNGER (E.) ; Four lectures on wave mechanics.
SoMMERFELD (Arnold) : Lecture on wave mechanics.
Sommerfeld (Arnold) : Wave mechanics.
Wilson (W.) : Relativity and wave mechanics.
Let us look at the length of shelves his eyes should travel.
Assuming that twelve volumes will, on an average, go into a
foot, his eyes will have to run through the backs of a little
over a mile of books, even in a library of 70,000 volumes.
Just imagine the time that will be involved in this process.
292
FOURTH LAW
624“
622 Classified Arrangement
On the other hand, suppose that the books of the library
are arranged in a minutely classified manner, on a subject
basis. Then, Wave-Mechanics will be one of the ultimate
classes and Ms eyes will have to^ run only through the backs
of a foot or two of books. In other words,- he' could see
them ail almost at a glance. This has led the Fourth Law - to
press the claims of the classified mode of arrangement. We
have seen that the Second and Third Laws also prefer such an
arrangement. Each law approaches the problem of shelf-
arrangement from a different angle ; but, fortunately, . their
conclusions are all concurrent.
623 Relative Position of Classes
The Fourth Law would throw some further light on the
arrangement. In the first place, it would recommend that the
classes accommodated in adjacent shelves should have the
greatest possible affinity. A reader that is primarily interested
in philosophy is sure to have some interest in religion and
psychology. Hence, to Save the Time of that Class of
Readers, it would be advisable to put religion on one side of
philosophy and psychology on its other side. In a similar
manner, the Fourth Law must be constantly borne in mind
in fixing the relative position of the other classes as well.
624 Absolute Position of Classes
Apart from relative, position, the absolute position of the
classes also will have to be determined in conformity to the
Fourth Law. The class of books that is most in demand
should be put on the nearest shelves of the stack-room and
the class that is least popular should, ordinarily, be put at
the farthest end. It is known for example that for every geo-
logical book issued, more than a hundred books are issued
in literature in the Madras University Library. The accom-
panying histogram showing the relative popularity of different
classes of subjects in. the Madras University Library may
293
624 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
throw some light on the importance of this aspect of shelf-
arrangement. It can be seen that about a third of the issues
of that Library is from the literature class. Then, in order to
save the time of the greatest number of readers, that library
should accommodate its literature class close to the entrance
Z4,000
HISTOGRAM SHOWING
THE NO- OF VOLUMES
ZZROO
ISSUED IN
DIFFERENT SUBJECTS
Z0,000
12,000
6,000
4,000
of the stack-room. Again, the books of ready reference such
as directories, yearbooks, dictionaries and encyclopsedias
■632
FOURTH LAW
slioi.ild be ■placed . as, close to the counter as possible^so that no
time need be wasted by readers in getting at them. ' Although
this recommendation of the Fourth Law, may , look too obvi-
ous, it ,rnay be interesting to record that, not long ago, a 'big
library used to house its set of Encyclopaedia Briiamiica. in
the third' tier. Recent additions are generally in great deniand.
Hence, for the sake of the Fourth Law, it would be necessary
to put them all together near the counter for a definite period
of time. We saw, in the last chapter, the usefulness of such a
practice in the light of the Third Law as well
63 Stack-Moom Gtiides
Assuming that the reader is ,admitted into the stack-room
and that the relative and absolute arrangement of books is in
accordance with the requirements of the Fourth Law, he will
be natiiraliy bewildered by the array of books with which he
is surrounded and may have to waste much time before
arriving at the shelves containing the class of books required
by him. To save the Time of the Reader at this stage, the
library should provide an efficient system of guides in the
stack-room.
631 Plan and Signal Guides
It may be useful to place at the entrance of the stack-room
a large bold plan of that room, showing the disposition of
the book-racks and the classes of books contained in them.
In addition each row of book-racks should be furnished at
each end with a signal ’’ guide on which the classes accom-
modated in the row are indicated in a manner calculated to
catch the eye of the reader. In the Madras University Library
they are inserted in rectangular wooden frames 18" x6'' pro-
jecting from the side of the end rack of the row. Similar guides
should also be provided for each rack in each row. Some libra-
ries, that keep open after sunset, "use illuminated signal guides.
632 Shelf Guide
In addition to this, every shelf-plank should also be pro-
295
632 FIVE^LAWS'.OF ^liB'RARy; sci:en^
Aided with the necessary number, of shelf«labe.ls. T.he' number
of such shelf-labels is likely to be' very great. In the Madras'
University Library,, the number of shelf-pianks in use, .at .pre-
sent, is about 3,500. They are furnished' with as' many as
6,000 shelf-labels. The proper maintenance of such a large
number of labels is a problem^ .in itself. The serious iiatiire of
the problem will be brought out fully when we view it in the
light of the Fifth Law. It is enough to say here that so .many
are necessary to Save the Time .of' the Reader effectively.' At
. the same time, however,, it must be said that shelf labelli.ng
should not be overdone. Too many of them may ca'use con-
fusion to the reader. Most of the shelves may take two
labels, while a few may take one and a few others' three.
There should not be need for more than three per plank.
The Mad.ras University Library generally uses spoiled cata-'
logue cards ' for the purpose. They are cut into labels
5" X 5/8". Each card gives four such labels. The name of the
ultimate class of books just above the label is written on it
in bold detached library hand of half inch size. The number
of the class is also prefixed whenever there is space.
633 Book Tag
Thus, we shall imagine our reader first consulting the plan
at the entrance of the stack-room. Then, with the aid of the
signal guides greeting him at the end of each gangway, he will
easily enter that particular gangway which contains the sub-
ject in which he is interested. As he passes along the gangway,
he will run his eyes through the shelf-labels until he comes to
the shelf containing the ultimate class in which his books are
likely to be. Then he will examine the collection in that ulti-
mate class and make his selection. If, on the other hand, he
has already made up his mind about the particular book he
wants, there must be some further help to enable him to pick
out that particular book without loss of time. In such a case,
the most expeditious method of his getting the book will be
to find out, beforehand, the exact call number of the book
from the catalogue cabinet. Assuming that he will do this, it
296
FOURTH LAW
6332
can be easily seen that there should be further guides showiiig
the call number of each book. They should consist of tags or
labels affixed to the backs of books.
6331 Choice of Tag
These' tags should be affixed and thecal! number written
on them ^ when the book is being catalogued. It is very diffi-
cult to get a tag that will firmly stick to the back of the book
for an appreciable time. Even if it does, it gets dirty in course
of time and the letters become indistinct. It has been. found
to be ultimately more economical to buy specially made tags,
than for each library to prepare its own tags in its own crude
way. Dennison’s white circular tags, number A- 144, which
are coated with thin gum, have been found to be most ser-
viceable. They cost about one rupee per thousand. They' are
available at Libraco Ltd., 62, Cannon St., London, E. C. 4.
The durability of these tags can be increased by applying
paper varnish to them after they are affixed. Even then, they
should be replaced periodically and systematically. There is.
nothing more offensive to the eye than a dirty half-torn, tag
disfiguring the back of a book. It further produces an impres-
sion of vslovenliness, which is inimical to the bright business-
like look that a library should present to the reader. In the
Madras University ^Library, which issues about one hundred
and fifty thousand books per annum, it has been found neces-
sary to set apart an attendant for about ten hours in the
week for renewing the tags. So much of an attendant’s time
has to be spent, in .'order to Save the Time of the Reader at
this stage. While it may look like a great expense, when con-
sidered from the isolated library-point-of-view, it will be seen
to be really economical from the larger community-point-of-
".vieW. ;,V'
6332 Position of Tag
Before leaving this question, it may be well to say that the
attractiveness of the shelf can be considerably increased by
affixing the tags in such a way that they are all in a line when
297
::V'' .'V.
6332 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
the books Stand erect on the shelves. Apart from the look of
slovenliness, it will be tiring for the reader’s eyes if the tags
appear at all heights indiscriminately. Experience has shown
that the most suitable standard position for the tag is one
inch from the bottom of the book.
6333 Tooling
The labour involved in the frequent repasting of the tags
can be avoided by having the call number tooled directly on
the back of the book. For this, ordinary binders’ gold letter-
ing method should be adopted. It may be advantageous to
train a library attendant to do the lettering in the library pre-
mises. If it is not practicable, the books may be sent to the
binder to be numbered.
634 Trivial Only in Appearance
Details like these may appear to be trivial to those who
have had no inside experience of a library. With the limited
experience of handling a few stray books in his private study,
the layman cannot easily imagine what proportions these
apparently small matters assume in a growing library dealing
with thousands of volumes and thousands of readers. Hence,
in a country like ours, with hardly any modern library tradi-
tion, the handicaps of the librarian are likely to be greatly
increased by a lack of appreciation of the magnitude of the
problem on the part of others. But the librarian has to devote
his thought to such problems and solve them so as to Save
THE Time of the Reader.
64 Catalogue Entry
Another factor that may lead the reader to waste his time
in getting his materials, is due to the inevitable composite
nature of most of the books. All books are not monographs.
Very often an excellent account of a specified topic may occur
in a chapter or even in a few pages of a book whose main
interest may be some other topic or topics. A careful student
would desire to know all the resources of the library on his
298
FOURTH LAW
641
•subject of study, whether it be a monograph or a portion, of
,a bigger book. If a catalogue is made up, only oi.a' single ,
entry for each book and makes no attempt whatever to give
.analytical cross-references, the only course open to the reader
is to examine every book to see if it gives any information on
the subject of his, study.
641 Example 1
Suppose, for example, that the reader is interested in criti-,
■ca! literature dealing with Matthew Arnold. There may be
,about half a dozen books in the library dealing exclusively
with this subject and they, can be found together on the
shelves. But, a patient, search by the reader will disclose to
him that the library possesses also many other materials on
the subject. Here are some items that he ra.ay find to be
useful : —
Arnold (M.). Poems, 4-16.
Palgave (F. T.). Landscape in poetry, 257-278.
Swinburne (A. C.). Essays and studies, 123-183.
Hutton (R. H.). Literary essays, 310-360.
Quiller-Couch (A.). Studies in literature, 231-245.
Ker (W. P.). Art of poetry, 139-160.
Drinkwater (j.). Victorian poetry, 86-90 ; 96-100 ; 12LI 23.
Grierson (H.J.C.). Background of English literature, 68-1 14.
Grierson (H. J. C.). Lyrical poetry from Blake to Hardy,
90-121.
Squire (S. J.). Essays on poetry, 88-97.
Monroe (H.). Poets and their art, 175-178.
Elliott (G. H.). Gycle of modern poetry, 58-63.
Paul (H. W.). Matthew Arnold, 16-50 ; 99-105.
English Association. Essays and studies, V. 3, 71-9!.
Traill (H. D.). New fiction, 76-103.
Hutton (R. H.). Modern guides to English thought, 105-149.
Hutton (R. H.). Brief literary criticisms, 256-281; 288-303.
Stephen (L.). Studies of a biographer, V. 2, 71-114,
Collins (J.C.). Posthumous essays, 171-198.
Henley (W. E.). Views and reviews, 75-82.
Birrell (A.). Collected essays and addresses, V. 2, 170-198,
Raleigh (W.). Some authors, 300-310.
299
.;64I library science
;v;::SAfimB0RY in English literature, ,V. 2,. 265-275,
Gosse (E.). More, hooks on .the table, 381-387.
' ,WiLUAM.s (S,T.). Studies in Victorian literature, ,71-160.. ,
' Harrison (F.). Selected essays, 1-19. ^
. Walker (H.). Age of Tennyson, 2I4r2l9.
: ENGHS.H Association. Essays and Studies, V. 15,'7“.I9. ,
..Hotton' (R. H.). Contemporary thought and thinkers, V:- I
2.14-226.^
' Fitch' (Joshua). Lives of' Thomas and Matthew .Arnold,
■ 241-274.
Now, to discover these references for himself the reader may
.have to go through most of the books in the literature shelves.
The .library may have some hundreds of books on literature. '
Even if the reader has the patience to make a search in a
thorough manner, there is no doubt that he will require
many .hours and, perhaps, days to prepare the above list.
642 Example 2
Let us take another example. A few weeks back, an eminent
research worker felt the need to consult all the literature that
our library had on. the Zeeman Effect. We had only four,
books exclusively devoted to the subject and hence they were
the only books that were found on the shelf having the shelf-
label Zeeman Effect.’’ But, our catalogue contained : the
following seventeen references.
Haas (A.). Introd. to theoretical physics, V. 2, 1 25-1 32.
Konen (H.). Lichi und Materie, 360-388.
Watts (W. M.). Study of spectrum analysis, 167-173,
Baly (E. C. C.). Spectroscopy, 529-558.
Campbell (N. R.). Series spectra, 73-78 .
Johnson (R. C.). Spectra, 27-30.
Kayser (H.). Handbutch der Spectroscopic, B 2, 611-672.
Back (N.). Handbuch der experimental Physik, B 22, 1-189.
Van Vleck (J. H.). Quantum principles, 230-257.
Hund (F.). Linienspectrem, 78-111 ; 201-207.
Campbell (N. R.). Modern electrical theory, 83-102.
Abraham (M.). Theorie der Elektrizltat, B 2, 71-79.
Stoner (E. C.). Magnetism and atomic structure, 212-244.
300
FOURTH LAW
644
, SoMMERFELD (A.). A tomic Structure ' and : spectral ' lines,
294-303 and 384-405. ■.
■ Birtwistle. (C.). Quantum theory, 112-118.'
Baly (E. C. C). Spectroscopy, V. 3, 308-416.
Andrade (E. N. da C.). Structure of the atom, 501-581...^' '
■When he was shown these seventeen red cards :he was im-
mensely delighted and he said that we had saved much of his
time by the preparation of these cross-reference cards.
643 Catalogue Staff
This brings us to the economic aspect of the cross-referen-
cing work. Such analytical cross-reference cards can be prepar-
ed, only if the library has an adequate technical staff with high
academic qualifications and thorough professional training.
It has been found from four years’ experience that a full-
timed staff of five is necessary to deal with the annual acces-
sions of a library, adding 6,000 volumes a year and that a
volume requires six cards on an average. Roughly speaking,
this amounts to an average cost of about ten annas per
volume.
644 Avoidance of Repeated Wastage
To decide whether it is wise to spend this amount and. to
maintain such a staff', the Fourth Law would urge the library
authorities to view it from a different angle — from the national
angle so to speak, if it is not done, what is the wastage that
would be involved in our talented high paid research worker
spending some hours of his time in the search? Further, if the
work is not done once for all and in a thorough manner by
the library staff, in the days and years to come, the time of
many such persons interested in Zeeman Effect will have to
be wasted in going through the same process of search. This
would mean repeated wastage not only of the nation’s money
but also of its best brains. Research should not be allowed to
degenerate into a search of this type.
:645': , ' Fi'v/E science : ,
; : :645 Avoidance, GF^ Handicap' to 'Research ,
AH ,tlie countries, of the 'world are really competitors in
.matters of .research ; and the workers in any branch, of re-
search . in our country should not be. subjected to avoidable
handicaps. .Their prec.ioiis time should be saved, as much as.
pos's.i,bie .by. the libraries undertaking to do thorough',, cross-
referencing work.
646 D.1VISION OF Labour
Similarly, ,co,n.sider the national wastage that would be in-
volved in professor after professor and . student, after student
—and that from 'year to year — pulling out book after book
from the large literature collection of the library to make out
an exhaustive list of its resources on Matthew Arnold. Is it
an economical way of utilising the brain-power and time of
erudite professors and students ? The Fourth Law would ask,
“Ms it not more economical from the national point of view,
to introduce a division of labour here, by setting apart a few
persons to prepare such exhaustive lists in ail possible sub-
jects? ” Such work once done will be of use forever.
65 BIhliograpliy
While examining this aspect of the Fourth Law. it may be
well to raise the issue, ‘Hs the cross-referencing to beiconiin-
ed to regular books or is it to be extended to periodicals
also?*’ There is no doubt that the contents of periodicals
should be indexed in a classified manner to Save the Time of
THE Reader.
651 Index of Periodicals
The number of periodicals in the field runs to thousands,
(60,000 is one of the estimates). Even the Madras University
Library gets about a thousand of them. The Yale University
Library gets as many as 11,500. The articles on aity topic
get widely scattered in many of them. The time imolvcd hi
listing them together is bound to be very large. It is not pro-
302
FOURTH LAW
652
per to divert the time of busy researchers to the task of
listing them. On the other hand, it would be more economi-
'cal, from the point of view of the. community as a whole, to
get it done by a special staff and' make it available to ail
researchers. The Fourth Law would in fact go to, the extent
of lifting it, not only from the sphere of individual workers,
but also froiu that of individuaMibraries and even of indi-
vidual nations and would assign it to international organisa-
tions. .
652 Example
Let us take for example a recent subject like ‘ Raman
Effect.’ Since Sir C. V. Raman announced his discovery of a
new radiation in his historic inaugural address before the
South Indian Science Association at Bangalore on the 16
March 1928, many physicists all over the world have turned
their attention to this new phenomenon — its elucidation and
its applications — and the periodicals in Physics are being
flooded with the results of the work done on and with the aid
of the Raman Effect. To avoid Both unnecessary duplication
of work and to cut out new lines, it is desirable that all the
results are rendered easily available to all the workers in the
field. The publication of a bibliography of Raman Elfect as
Part 4 of Volume 4 and in pages 256-283 of Volume 5
of the Indian journal of physics, listing about 550 titles, has
resulted in a substantial economy of time. In deference to
the Fourth Law, many such special bibliographies are being
pubiished. Here are a few examples : —
International catalogue of scientific literature.
Revue semestrielle des publications malhematiqiies.
Science abstracts.
Chemical abstracts together with the cumulative indexes.
Bibliography bf American natural history.
Bibliographia gcnetica.
Annual bibliography of English language and literature.
Orientaiische bibliographie.
303
ReligioBSgeschiclitliche bibliographie. ■
Bibliographie methodique du pragmatisme americain. : :
Psychological Abstracts.
Bibliographical Bulletin of International Aflkirs.
Bibliographic der Sozialwissenschaften.^
Index to Legal Periodicals. ■ ■
A detailed account of such; bibliographies published so as
to Save the Time of the Reader will be found in Chapters
3 to 9 of the book entitled ' Bibliography, practical, em-
merative, historical" by Henry Bartlett Van Hoesen.
: 653 Bibliography of Bibliographies . .
The influence of the Fourth Law has even gone to the
extent of bringing about the publication of bibliographies of
bibliographies, such as the following
Darrow (K. K.). Classified list of published bibliographies in
physics.
West (C. J.) and Berolzheimer (D. D.). Bibliography of biblio-
graphies in chemistry.
Mathews (E. B.). Catalogue of published bibliographies in
geology.
Peddie (Robert ’Alexander). List of bibliographical works pub-
lished since 1 893.
654 Cross Reference for Bibliography
One should not leave this section without referring to the
great help that the Fourth Law can derive from the Reference
catalogue, the annual volumes of the English catalogue and
the Subject catalogue of the British Museum Library and the
short bibliographies appended to the articles in the^
dopaedia Britannica, Many of the,;,problems of ; the readers:
can be solved expeditiously with the aid of these volumes.
Hardly a day passes in a library without recourse to them.
The Madras University Library has been systematically pre-
paring cross-reference cards for all important bibliographical
lists found at the ends of chapters or at the ends of books.
This is a simple piece of work which every library can under-
take to do. These cross-reference -cards which have now ac-
304
FOURTH LAW
66
cumulated to a large number .are rendering invaluable service ;
in Saving THE Time OF the Reader in Madims Uiiiversity
Library..
655 Published Bibliography
The chief contribution of the Fourth Law to Book-selection ,
is that a fair and' representative selection of bibliographical
piiblications should be acquired. Tho English catalogue or sl
corresponding annual .is absolutely necessary in any library.
What further bibliographical materials should be bought will
depend on the nature of the library, the interests ofiits readers '
and its financial resources. A Scientific or University Library
should carefully watch the announcements of cumulative
indexes of the periodicals current in it and acquire them as a
matter of course. It should also buy ail possible bibliographies
of individual authors in literature and as many subject biblio-
graphies as possible. A public library should go in either for
Poole’s or for the British Library Association’s Index
to periodicals. It may with advantage subscribe also for the
bibliographies published from time to time by the National
Book Council.
66 Reference Service
We have seen in the last two sections the various types of
bibliographical tools which are either constructed in the
library or are constructed elsewhere and are bought by the
library. Whether we consider an elaborate well-prepared
catalogue with a profusion of cross-references or the numer-
ous other bibliographical aids that are likely to be available in
the library, it may not be an easy matter for an average reader
to derive the fullest advantages of these time-saving devices.
In the firsi tuacc, some personal initiation will be essential to
Save the Time of the Reader in getting himself acquainted
with their correct use. Even after the initiation, most readers
will stand in need of the bibliographical service of the Refer-
ence Stafi-. With their constant practice, the Reference Staff
are sure to acquire not only greater precision but also a much
305
■66 FIVE •LAWS' OF tlB^RARY SCIENCE'
: • higher than the readers in handling the bibliographical
/apparatus. Again, in spite of the initiation, the reader cannot
; .become as as the staff with the order in which the
books are arranged.' The librarian's intimate acquaintance
with classification cataloguing gives him an immense
' advantage over, the reader in arriving quickly at the' desired
book or- information. He knows the order in^ which the books
fail. He knows the ins. and outs of his catalogue. He can
wield all kinds of indexes and catalogues with greater ease and
speed. Hence the Fourth Law also would join hands with the
first three Laws in pressing the need for an adequate Refer-
ence Staff in all libraries. The money spent on such a staff
comes back to the nation in ever-increasing measure in the
saving of the precious time of its best brains. That this is an
economically sound proposition can be inferred from the fact
that commercial and business libraries, maintained by busi-
ness houses, ungrudgingly pay for an adequate Reference Staff.
They know the economic value of time. But academic libra-
ries seem to be lacking in their power to perceive the value of
time and are hence halting in appreciating the need for such
a staff.
661 Two Kinds
From the point of view of the Fourth Law, the work of
the Reference Stajfif falls into two divisions: (1) Ready
Reference Service, and (2) Long Range Reference Service.
662 Ready Reference Service
. For purposes of Ready Reference Service, libraries that
have faith in the Fourth Law maintain information desks and
place them in a prominent position so as to attract the atten-
tion of the reader early in his transactions. The problems that
frequently fall within the sphere of the persons in charge of
the information desk are —
1. the direction of the readers to ihc different parts
of the library and to the appropriate members of
306
FOURTH LAW 663'
the Reference Staff, if prolonged and iiiteiisive-
'help, is. necessary;
2. instruction to new-comers in the nse of the
library, particularly in the use of the catalogue-
and the other bibliographical tools available' in
the library and in the general outline of classifi-
cation and shelf-arrangement ; and
3. the supply of answers to simple queries, involv-
ing a minimum amount of search and the use of
the few ready reference books such as year-
books, directories and calendars usually kept at
the information desk.
6621 Qualification of Staff
A good deal of the service rendered by the information
desk may have to be over telephone wires. A retentive and
associative memory coupled with capacity to do several
things at once without flurry and the ability to turn from one
subject to another with quickness and ease are essential if the
service of the person at the information desk is to Save the
Time of the Reader substantially. Slow, dull-witted, immo-
bile and absent-minded persons cannot be of any service to
the Fourth Law.
663 Long Range Reference Service
Let us now turn to Long Range Reference Service. Let us
follow the reader in the stack-room. If the library is ideally
organised, he will soon find himself in charge of one who is a
specialist in the bibliography of the subject in which he is
interested. Such a reference-librarian will greet him with
a smile and begin to talk to him in the language of his
subject. Being put at ease by these circumstances, the reader
will state his problems and his requirements as definitely
as he can. The reference-librarian will unreservedly place
at his disposal his varied bibliographical experience, built up
by years of contact with several specialists seeking his help
and by the constant handling of the tools and the resources of
307
66J.; ' yMlVE LA WS:: 0F"X1BRARY ' SCIENCE ' ,
the, libra,ry from .various .points, of . view. This' will Save 'the,
Time. 'of the,. Reader considerably and enable him, to get, at
Ms niaterials far morexxpeditious '
664 Range of Readers
The reader may be ' a young inexperienced student who is
unable to find out the, relative value of the different books
that bear the same class number. Then, the reference-librarian'
will Save his Time by readily picking out the volumes whose
standard is within his reach. The reader .may take an ama-
teur’s interest in a subject. Then the reference-librarian will
ascertain his previous equipment and work out for him a
graded reading course^ so that he can get the necessary ac-
quaintance with the subject without any loss of time due to the
unaided choice of incomprehensible books in an inconvenient
sequence. The reader may be a busy administrator or specialist.
In this case, the reference-librarian will pick out and assemble
in advance all the materials that may be relevant to the topic
pursued by him so that he can refer to them without wasting
his precious time in knocking about in the different parts of
the library to collect his materials.
665 Example
Not long ago, a Sanskrit scholar came from an up-country
town in search of some materials on certain aspects of Indian
Philosophy. The Sanskrit books usually have perplexing titles,
with hardly any indication about the nature of the contents.
Hence, he knew that there was no short-cut to ascertain their
value for his purpose except to open out each book and look
it through. But he knew nothing either of the classified
arrangement of the books or of the analytical nature of the
subject calaiague. Nor did he know of the existence of the
Reference Staff. On the other hand he had persuaded himself
that, since his books would be in the Devanagari Script and his
subject was an abstruse branch of ancient philosophy, he should
not expect any assistance from anybody. Hence, he came pre-
pared 10 spend some days to get his work done. On the first
308
FOURTH LAW
67!
day, in spite of repeated offers,- he declined all -'help and- be^
to carry a feW: books at a time to his work-table. After about
aO; hour or two, when he was beginning to show" signs' of
exhaustion, he was again approached in. a tactful mamier , and
he consented to be shown round the stack-room. That ^ gave
a splendid opportunity to the reference-librarian to '■ explain'
the various arrangements that the library had made to Save.
THE Time of the Reader. He was eventually taken to the
Indian Philosophy region. After a talk for about an hour, he
went out for lunch. Without going into further details it may
be stated at once that at about 4-30 p.m., he sought permis-
sion to use the' office telephone to request the stationmaster
to get his berth reserved that very night. Nor is it necessary to
reproduce here his many words of surprise and thanks for
the manner in which the library staff had Saved his Time.
67 Issue Method
Let us now move on with the reader. We shall assume
that he has finished all the reading he intended to do within
the library itself and that he is ready to go home. Let us
assume that he desires to take a few books home. The process
of making the necessary entries before permitting him to
borrow the books for home reading is spoken of as the
‘charging work.’ The reverse process of receiving the books
back when he returns them and releasing him from all further
responsibility about those books is known as ‘ discharging.’
Before the advent of the Fourth Law, the method of charging
and discharging was very cumbrous and wasteful. Even to-
day, such antiquated methods still prevail in many of our
libraries. It will be shown when we consider the Fifth Law
that those methods will absolutely break down if the library
functions up to the ideal of the first three laws. Here we
shall confine ourselves only to the time aspect of the
pro-cess.'-:.--
671 Day-Book and Ledger
The method that is prevalent in most of our libraries may
309
671 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
be described as that of the Day-book and Ledger. In this
method the reader fills up his name and the author, title and
call number of the book in a printed form. The counter clerk
copies these details in the Day-book and posts these daily re-
cords in a personal ledger to avoid searching through the
Day-book to find a given entry. A few pages of this ledger
are assigned to each reader. The call number of the book
drawn and the date of issue are noted in the columns ruled
for the purpose. On the return of the volume, the date of
return is set down in another column. If a book is returned
after the due date the amount of fine due and the date and
the number of the receipt of collection are entered in addi-
tional columns. Certain libraries get all these details posted
also in another ledger in which each book gets a page. Apart
from the impossibility of keeping up the alphabetical or call
number sequence in such ledgers, the process of making the
entries both while charging and discharging makes the reader
wait long at the counter. It is made still worse in rush hours
since only one person could use this record book at a time.
When this system was in vogue in the Madras University
Library till three years ago, the average time wasted by a
reader as a result of this old fashioned method of charging
and discharging was about fifteen minutes.
672 (Questions to be Answered
But the recognition of the Fouth Law has led the library
profession to overha-ul the charging system completely. To
effect this overhauling, the purposes of the present day charg-
ing system had to be critically analysed. The charging system
should answer the purposes of three definite records, viz., a
time record, a book record and a readers’ record. In other
words it should give ready answer to queries of the following
type
1 . What and how many books are lent on any date ?
2. Who has each volume on loan on any date ?
3. What books are due on any date?
FOURTH LAW
676
673 Two-card system
The most economical charging system that has been devised
to answer all these purposes and, at the same time, fulfil the
requirements of the Fourth Law may be described as the
‘ Two-card ’ system. In this system each book is given a
book-card which is inserted in a book-pocket pasted on the
inside of the front cover of the book, and each reader is pro-
vided with as many borrowers’ tickets as the number of
volumes which he is entitled to remove from the library at
one time.
674 Charging Work
Now let us follow our reader. He will bring up to the
counter the books he desires to take home. He will present
these books with an equal number of his tickets to the coun-
ter clerk at the exit gate. This clerk will immediately stamp
the due date on the date labels of the books, release the book-
cards from their respective pockets in the books and couple
each of them with 6ne of the reader’s tickets. As soon as this
is done, the reader will be at liberty to go home with his
books. The time taken by this process of charging will be far
less than the time taken to describe it. In fact, it should be
possible to charge at least a dozen books in a minute. Perhaps
it is only in the charging method that the ideal of the Fourth
Law has been actually reached.
675 Coupling the Cards
Different devices are employed to couple the book-card and
the corresponding reader’s ticket. One popular method is to
make the reader’s ticket in the form of a stiff pocket and in-
sert the book-card in it. Whatever be the means of coupling
them, these coupled cards are arranged in a tray by the call
number behind a date guide showing the due date.
676 Discharging Work
When the book is brought back to the library, the counter
311
'676 FIVE LA WS OF-. LIBRARY SCIENCE ■ ■
clerk at the entrance gate finds out the due date and the call:
number from the date label and with their aid he :picks out
from the charged tray, the book-card coupled with the reader’s
ticket* The book-card is inserted into the book pocket and the
reader’s ticket is handed over- to the reader. This process also
takes as little time as , the charging process. There are - many
variations of -this method which it would be out of place to
dilate upon in this book. It is hoped to have in this series a
separate volume on Library Administration, which will app-
ropriately deal in detail with the routine of counter work.
68 Time of the Staff
We have seen that one of the methods employed to Save
THE Time of the Reader is to provide an adequate
number of hands for reference service. Hence it follows that
the greater the number of such hands and the longer the
period for which they can be spared for actual reference
service, the fuller will be the extent to w'hich the purposes of
the Fourth Law would be fulfilled. It follows as a corollary
from this, that the Fourth Law implies also that the time of
the staif spent in routine work should be minimised as much
as possible. This appeal of the Fourth Law has been engaging
the attention of libraries for a long time and has produced
splendid results. While a full account of the evolution of the
methods of library routine will be given in a special volume
on Library Administration it may be stated in a word that the
effect of the Fourth Law has been to revolutionise the method
of keeping library records. The old bound books have been
completely given up and loose cards have taken their place.
It may even be claimed that the card system which appears
to be now fast entering into all kinds of business houses and
offices is a most noteworthy contribution of Library Science
to modern administrative methods in general. It must be
admitted that, in its turn, Library Science owes the invention
of the card system to a sincere desire on the part of librarians
to satisfy the Fourth Law in all possible ways.
312
FO-URTH LAW
68
681 Process Chart
' perhaps illustrate the extent to which the card
system can Save the Time of the Staff by considering one
set of library records, namely, those that deal with book'
selection, book ordering, book accessioning, book catalogu-
ing and withdrawal. Perhaps the chart in the' next page
showing the inter-relation or the linking' up of the records
relating to these processes will simplify the discussion of this
question. The first row indicates the sources for book-selec-
tion. The nature of the records mentioned in the second and
the third rows is obvious. The fourth and the fifth rows,
show the different channels through which books may come
into the library. A popular alternative name for 'accession
cabinet' is stock-register. The withdrawal cabinet contains
the list of books lost, worn out by use, or otherwise ceasing
to be part of the library. The registers in each of any two
consecutive rows are linked with each other by certain common
entries, c.g,, the order number is posted in the vouchers, and
the voucher number in the order registers.
682 Pre-card Days
In the pre-card days the titles of the books for considera-
tion would be written either on sheets of paper or in note-
books. Books not approved would be struck off. If too many
items were struck off, it might become necessary to re-write
the remaining items. Then, in the course of checking this
list with the existing stock of the library, several items may
have again to be struck off and notes about edition or year
of publication, etc., of the existing books may have to be
made against some of the items. At this stage again if the
pages become too congested the surviving items might have
to be re-written once again. Then the ' order ’ list would be
prepared. It is very unlikely that all the books of an ‘ order'
would be supplied on the same day. As the books come, they
would have to be listed. This might be the fourth occasion of
writing out the entries. This fourth list would really consti-
313
FOURTH LAW
68¥
tute the Stock-book or the ‘Accession Register,’ as it is usually
called. Then the catalogue cards and the shelf-register cards
would be written and, lastly, it might be necessary to keep a
separate register for the books withdrawn from the library.
Thus, excluding the writing out of the catalogue and the
shelf-register, the details of every book would have to be
written about five times. In the card system, on the other
hand, it is enough if the details are written once instead of
five times. This gives a measure of the extent to which the
card system Saves the Time of the Staff.
683 Card System
In the card system, one and the same card serves the pur-
poses of five different record books. A form of the card which
is of the standard size 5" X 3" is shown on the following
page.
It would be realised as we describe the use of this card
that, in addition to saving time, it affords many other con-
veniences.
684 Book-Selection Work
A separate card is used for each item selected. All the
details in the first page of the card except accession number,
call number and withdrawal number are entered as soon as the
selection is made. The entries about review may perhaps have
to be written at a later stage when the review becomes
actually available. The source from which the details about
the book are taken is indicated near the left-hand bottom
corner of the first page. The person making these entries puts
his initials and date in the first row on the second side of the
card. All such cards are roughly arranged in a classified
sequence to facilitate the work of those who have to approve
the indent finally. The approving authority has just to sort it
into three groups selected,” “rejected,” and “deferred
consideration.” Then the cards of the first group are transfer-
red to the “approved” tray and the cards of the other
groups, into corresponding trays. Then, the person responsible
315
.■684:
■FiVE LAWS , OF. -L.-IBR AR'Y S CIEN C,E
Ac. No.
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..Size.
CL No.
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WL No.
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M.U.L.
Pub-price.
Vendor
Cost.
Date, initials.
Indian.
Foreign.
Order No.
Voucher No.
Seln.
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Order.
1
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1 1
Total.
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Accnd.
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1
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v_.ur. li.
Lang No.
1
1
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Cost.
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i
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Bound,
WL
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. . ■ ■
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1
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316
FOURTH TAW
6%1
for the , ordering' work' checks each... card the stock.,. of . the
" .library, .and .after . the. ca,rds. relating to, 'books 'already in the'
library are eliminated, the survivingeards are:traiisferred to
t'he “order” tray with the notes in the cards : themselves.
■ ■ ,685 Order- Work
■ If the library purchases the. - books , through a-n agent^^ the
^torder ” is typed straightaway'' from these -cards. If, on the
other hand, the library purchases the books directly from the ■
publishers, the cards in . the: “ order ” tray are irst sorted
according to the publishers, and .separate orders are typed for
each publisher. In any case, the '“ order ” number and date of
order are entered in appropriate places in the seco.nd page of
the - card. The vendor is usually instructed to:^ mention the-
, “order” .number, and date in the bill "accompanying the
supply, and the cards themselves are kept in the . “ order ” tray
, behind the date guides showing the date of order. '
. '686 Accessioning Work.
On, the arrival of the books, the cards relating to them are
readily lifted from. the “order” tray and i.nser.ted on the title
page of the corresponding books. The accessioning clerk care-
; fully scrutinizes the books by comparing them with the entries
in; the cards^' with regard to author, title, size, collation,
edition, date of publication, publisher, and series if any, and
also checks the amount claimed in the bill with the published
price noted on the card. If the supply is correct, the bill is
passed for payment- and the voucher number and the date of
payment are noted in appropriate places in the card. The
•accession number is put in the book, on the card, and in the
bill also.
687- Accession Register
Then the books and the cards are passed on to the classi-
1 fier and the cataloguer, who prepare the necessary catalogue
cards and shelf-register cards and post the call-numbers in
the cards. Then, the shelf-register cards and the accession
317
687
FIVE LAWS OF- LIBRARY SCIENCE
cards are tallied by the accessioning clerk, after which the
shelf-register cards are filed in the- shelf-register cabinets and
the original cards are transferred to . the accession cabinets,
and they form part of the accession register.
688 Withdrawal WoR fc
Lastly, when the book has to be withdrawn from the
library, the corresponding card is transferred from the acces-
sion: cabinet to the withdrawal cabinet and given' a withdrawal
number. Thus, we have seen, one and the same card is made
to ■ migrate by successive stages from the ''book selection”
tray to the, "withdrawal” tray and thus Save the Time of
THE Staff and also add considerably to their convenience.
689! Advantage
Roughly speaking, for every minute required in the card
system, five minutes would have to be spent in the old system.
Further, the initials against the different items in the second
column would make it possible to trace to the right persons
the responsibility for any mistakes detected at any subsequent
time — however late it may be. Experience has shown that
this has a wholesome chastening effect on the staff. The pro-
gressive tabular statements indicated on the backside of the
card enable the staff to furnish, without any loss of time,
replies to the queries that are not infrequently put by the
managing authorities. The confusion, dislocation of work, and
the excitement caused by queries of this type are well-known.
In spite of the time wasted, satisfactory and accurate replies
are seldom obtainable. But it has been found that this type
of card has made work of such a nature not only accurate
but also quite easy and expeditious.
In a similar manner, the routine work of libraries is being
simplified in many other ways, in order to Save the Time of
THE Staff and thereby to Save the Time of the Reader.
691 Central Cataloguing
Another direction in which an attempt is being made to
FOURTH LAW
6911.
Save THE Time of the Staff is. that of central : cata-
logumg. From the larger national point of view,' much time
is. wasted as a result of every library continuing to catalogue
its own books, regardless of the fact that the same books
undergo similar treatment in ■ some hundreds of libraries
throughout the country.” Even as- early as the last quarter of
the nineteenth century, the American Library Association
began to devote its thought to this problem and experiment-
ed on a, small scale, in the production and distribution of
printed cards, in order to Save the' Time of the Staff
of individual libraries. But, a large-scale organisation, for
central cataloguing was started only in 1901., The circular
on the Distribution of catalogue cards^^'^^ issued by the Library
of Congress on 28 October 1901, marks an epoch in the
achievements of the Fourth Law of Library Science. The
difficulties experienced in the earlier years of this bold experi-
ment are fully described by the Chief of the Card Divi-
sions^® in his Reminiscences and observations on the card dis-
tribution work of the Library of Congress.
6911 History
But, the American libraries were not slow in recognising
the value of central cataloguing to the cause of the Fourth
Law. In the year 1929-30, the number of subscribers to the
printed cards was as high as 5,011. Even foreign countries,
like China and Russia, have begun to purchase these cards for
theirjibraries. This wide market has naturally resulted in re-
ducing the cost of these cards. The approximate cost of the
cards Tequired for a volume is estimated as four annas,
whereas, as it has been already stated, the cost of preparing
the cards in the library itself is as high as 10 annas per book
in a Madras Library. The number of books for which con-
gress cards are now available is 1,135,265. Till now, these
cards contained only the Congress call number. Arrangements
have now been made to print on them the Dewey number
also. The success of this American experiment is leading,
many other countries to start similar organisations to Save
319
6911 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
THE Time of the Staff of their libraries. “ The Russian and
German governmental libraries already have card printing
and distributing agencies. The Czechoslovakians and the
Spaniards have started similar activities.” There are indica-
tions that the countries of South America are also contem-
plating the inauguration of central cataloguing, through a
governmental agency. The Public Libraries Committee of
England and Wales have strongly commended the proposal
for establishing a Central Cataloguing Agency in the British
Museum. They urge in its support that “a very large amount
of work, time and skill would be saved ” and that, as a result of
the Library of Congress Scheme, “ Time and money formerly
spent by individual libraries on cataloguing the same books
have been directed to more useful purposes.”
6912 Inter-national Co-operation
The Fourth Law would urge the library world to reconcile
the differences in the cataloguing codes of different countries
so as to make the way clear for international co-operative
cataloguing.
692 Library Location
So far, we have been dealing with the problem of saving the
time of the reader after he enters the library. But, the Fourth
Law is interested also in the time taken by the reader to reach
the library. In other words, a library should be so located as
to Save THE Time OF the Reader. In a college, the library
should be centralh ’ocated so as to be easily accessible to the
students of all the classes. The research departments of a
University should, as far as possible, be housed in the library
buildings. The research laboratories, in which the scientific
departments have to be housed, should be built in the same
compound as the library.
6921 Urban Area
But the location of a city-library cannot be made to satisfy
the Fourth Law in such an easy way. It would be impossible
320
FOURTH LAW
6922
to find, ill a' big city, any site which would be equally accessi-
ble from all parts of the city. The larger cities of the^ West
are recoBciling this geographical difficulty with the demand of
the Fourth Law by establishing branch libraries' and delivery,
stations in all their divisions. ' We had occasion to givC' some
examples. of this practice, in section 133, where we' were dis-
cussing the subject of library location in the light of the First
Law. The ideal should be to provide a sufficient number; of
branch libraries, so that every citizen may find a branch
within ten-minutes’ walk from his residence.
6922 Rural Area
Rural readers suffer even more from the difficulties caused
by distance in the operation of the Fourth Law. A branch
library cannot be built near every farm home as it can be
built near homes in the cities. The only means available to
Save the Time of the Rural Reader is to put the library on
wheels and take it to him from time to time. A good selec-
tion of books, chosen by a trained librarian, should be put in
a motor van equipped as a travelling library and sent out for
periodical exchange in small village libraries, delivery stati-
ons and isolated farm homes. Where villages or homes are
inaccessible to motors, special arrangements should be made
for the conveyance of books by hand from and to the nearest
highway.
'' Do you mean to say that the District Board can afford to
take books out into the country in this manner ? Ridiculous 1
Let country people come to the town library and get their
books as we do,” some of the city-dwellers may say. But
time is as precious to the rural reader as to the town reader,
and the Fourth Law is not meant merely for the town libra-
ries. The Fourth Law would argue, ""There is nothing more
ridiculous or more expensive in the institution of the travel-
ling library system by a District Board than in the maintenance
of the postal delivery system by the government. Is not a
letter taken many miles into the country ? Whereas the mail
has to be taken to every rural home every day, the books may
321
6922 FIYE; LAWS OF LIB RAEY SCIENCE '
have to be taken to each village, .perhaps only' once in a
month ! ” In recent years, these arguments of the Fourth Law
have carried conviction to most western countries and Rural
Travelling Libraries on a District basis are being rapidly esta-
blished. They aim at adequate- library service within' easy
reach of every one. They are operated from the district head *
quarters library through deposit stations and branches. The
diagram on page 323 illustrates the ideal way in which the
Fourth Law is observed by one of the County Libraries of
the State of New York. It delivers books within a mile from
each home.
6923 First Travelling Library of India
The first travelling library of India drawn by a pair of
bullocks was founded at Mannargudi. Inspired by the original
drawing of the dream-picture printed on page 2 of this book
Sri S. V. Kanagasabhai Piilai, an Engineer of Mannargudi, a
town in the Tanjore District in the State of Madras, designed
and built the library cart shown on page 324 and provided
the capital for the up-keep of the travelling library including
the cost of the initial stock of books. It was inaugurated by
Sri S. R. Ranganathan at the village Melavasal, five miles to
the West of Mannargudi, at 5 p.m. on Wednesday 21 Octo-
ber 1931. Thus the dream of 1929 became a reality in 1931.
By 1932, 75 out of the 242 villages within the contemplated
area had been made service-points. The map on page 325
shows their distribution.
Tompkins County, New York State
Area — 476 square miles.
Number of branch-stations visited by the book-van of the
County Library — 160.
One station for every three square miles.
y
TJ I
« ^
■-la ..a
5 -2
6 .52,
oi e
r
U §
a
C ‘
I §
U I
^ p
o U
FIFTH LAW
RANGE- OF- SERVICE : -
OF
THE :M ANNA RGUDI TRAVELLING LIBRARY SERVICE
Note : 1 The circles shown are at 4, 8 and 12 miles radius
round Mannargudi.
2 The small triangles are the village units of the
Travelling Library Service,
CHAPTER 1
FIFTH LAW,
70 Introdoctloe
Now, we come , to the 'fifth and the last Law of Library
Science, W'hile the first four laws deal with ■ the Mictions of
a library, the Fifth Law tells ns about the vital and lasting
'characteristics of the library' as an institution and enjoins the
'need for a constant adjustment' of our outlook in dealing with
it. While the first . four laws indicate the spirit that should
characterise the management and administration of libraries,
the Fifth Law enunciates a fundamental principle that should
govern the planning and organisation of libraries. While the
first four laws embody maxims that are nearly obvious, the
Fifth Law is not perhaps so self-evident.
701 Enunciation
The Fifth Law is: A Library is a Growing Organism.
It is an accepted biological fact that agrowing organism alonB
will survive. An organism which ceases to grow will petrify
and perish. The Fifth Law invites our attention to the fact
that the library, as an institution, has ail the attributes of a
growing organism. A growing organism takes in new matter,
casts off old matter, changes in size and takes new shapes and'
forms. Apart from sudden and apparently discontinuous
changes involved in metamorphosis, it is also subject to a
slow continuous change which leads to what is known as
‘variation,' in biological parlance, and to the evolution of
new forms. This change is so slow but so effective that the
protagonists of evolution assert that it is the shapeless un-
dl fie reniiatcd protozoa of the paheozoic age that has trans-
formed itself, by successive stages of variation, into the most
differentiated specimen of creation — the human being. The
one thing that has been persisting through all those changes
of form has been the vital principle of life. So it is with the
library.
326
FIFTH LAW
71
71 Growth In Size
,We shall first trace the consequences of the simple growth
in size. For this purpose, it may be convenient to examine
the main -parts of the organism that are capable of growing.
They: are the ■ books, the readers, and the staff. It is well to
repeat here that a modern library is, a trinity of these factors.
It must be clearly realised that a collection of books without ^
readers has no more right to be called a library than a group
of readers without books and that the -mere juxtaposition of
books and readers without the service of a staff, that know to
effect contact between the right reader and the right book, at
the right time and in the right manner, cannot constitute a
library either. The modesty with which library authorities
underestimate the rate of growth of each of these, factors is
unimaginable. We shall have occasion to give instances of
this modesty as we go into details. But a far less pardonable
thing is to set about organising a library as if it would be
stationary, as if neither the books, nor the readers, nor the staff
would grow in number. There could be nothing more reprehen-
sible than a faulty organisation obstructing the free develop-
ment of a library, or indeed of any institution, to its full sta-
ture. The frequent recurrence of this fatal mistake in library
matters is due to the failure to realise a fundamental fact, v/z*,
an organisation which may be suitable for a small library may
completely fail when the library grows big. Technologists
know from painful experience that a successful laboratory
method may not always turn out to be a successful manu-
facturing method. Physicists too are now beginning to realise
that what may hold good in situations of an infinitesimal
order may cease to do so in similar situations of a finite
order and that what holds good in a set up of normal size
may cease to do so in situations of an abnormally big size.
The library organisation should not short-sightedly allow it-
self to be unduly influenced by the present size but should
plan its lay-out in such a way as to make it easy to keep pace
with the necessary growth of the library. Let us now take up
each of the three elements of the trinity and trace the con-
71 LIBRARY SCIENCE
sequence of its growth on the different aspects of library
organisation.
711 Books
Let us first take the books. The number of books in a live
library must and does grow. We shall assume that there is
hardly any probability for the recurrence of the familiar
anecdote of the Kansas legislator who objected to an appro-
priation for more books for the University library with the
eloquent words, “ Mr. Speaker, I object to spending this
money. Why, they’ve got forty thousand books there at
Lawrence now, and I don’t believe any one of them professors
has read ’em all yet ! We shall also assume the impracti-
cability of the Quincy plan, which is to equalise the rate of
weeding out and the rate of accessioning, after the size of the
collection reaches an arbitrary norm. While finance is no
doubt the ultimate deciding factor, it cannot be denied that
some light is thrown on the average rate of growth of the
book-collections of libraries by the following tables giving the
annual rate of book-production in some of the important
countries of the world.
Table I, giving the number of books published in some of
the foreign countries in 1927 is extracted from the Publishers'
weekly 115, 1928, 281. I am indebted to the Education
Secretary to the Government of India for the Table giving
the number of books published in some of the Indian
Provinces in 1927.
7111 World Book Production
International Book Production Statistics for 1927.
Name of Country
No. of books
published
Name of Country
No. of books
published
1 . Russia
. 36,680
8. Italy
.. 6,533
Z Germany
. 31,026
9. Holland.
.. 6,103
3. Japan
. 19,967
10. Denmark
.. 3,293
4. Great Britain
11. Sweden
.. 2,652
5. France
’.V: 'V.' f 1,922'.;'
12. Spain
.. 2,374
6, United States
10,153
13. Switzerland
.. 1,909
7. Poland
6,888
14. Norway
.. 1,238
328
7121
FIFTH LAW
.7112 Indian Book Production ;
Book : Production Statistics of India for 1927.
' Name of Province '
No of books
published
Name of Province
No. of books
■ . . published .■ ■
1,., Madras.
... 4,042
6. Bihar and Orissa
... 1,550
2. Bengal
... 3,425
7. Delhi
... 414
3. United Provinces
... 3,298
8. Central Provinces
... 217
4. Punjab ■
... 2,537
9, Burma
' 122
5. Bombay
... 2,211
10. Assam
... 54
Total for India
17,120
7113 Library Accession
To view the subject from another angle, here is a table
giving the annual rate of accession in a few libraries :
Name of the Library.
No, of Vols, added in
a year.
1. Library of Congress
... 202,111
2. Boston Public Library .
... 94,339
3. Cambridge University Library
... 90,916
4. Birmingham Public Library
... 28,566
5. New York State Library
... 23,313
6. Imperial Library, Calcutta
7,832
7. Madras University Library
5,628
8. Aberdeen Public Library
... 3,726
712 Stack-Room and Fittings
We shall first trace the effect of the growth of stock on
Library Architecture. The part of the library building that is
primarily concerned with this is the stack-room. Its size, its
relative position, the book-rack forming the unit out of which
the stack is built, the parts of the book-rack, the shelf-planks,
label-holders and all such things relating to the housing of
the books will have to be examined in the light of the
inevitable growth in stock.
7121 Size
Taking the size first, it is seldom that the Fifth Law does
not outwit the library authorities. To take an example, the
329
7121’ FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
authorities of the Madras University Library estimated as
follows in the year 1911: “ In order to accommodate the
books which the library already possesses together with those
that the committee expects to purchase during the next year,
a room 40' X 40' X 18' would be required. To accommodate
books to be added... during the next twenty-five years (on
the assumption that the annual allotment will continue the
same) another room of the same size will be necessary.” But
by about 1922, the committee was led to modify its estimate
as follows “The two rooms each measuring 40' X 40' X 18'
provided for the storage of books may be raised to three as
future additions are likely to be much more than was origi-
nally anticipated.” Later experience has shown that the stock,
which was 7,000 in 1911, grew to as much as 70,000 in
1930. The stack -room had to be actually designed to consist
of four tiers each 144' X 34' X 9', with provision for doubling
the space as and when required.
7122 Forethought
The amount of forethought that the Fifth Law has induced
in American Universities is illustrated by the following des-
cription of the planning of the Yale University Library. “ The
problem of the general library was to provide adequately for
present needs and for future needs so far as they could be fore-
seen. The programme therefore asked for suitable accommo-
dation for three million volumes on the day of opening, and
ultimately for four million volumes.”
7123 Stack Tower
Apart^from emphasising the need for a generous provision
for the future, the Fifth Law has been slowly eliminating the
old alcove and gallery forms of construction for the storage
of books. The stack form is steadily gaining ground and a
further development in stack architecture is the stack tower.
Another solution which has been proposed to meet the in-
crease in stock is the building of repositories of the warehouse
type for the close packing of the book-racks for the economi-
330
714
FIFTH LAW
cal storage of books infrequently iised. ,' Each; rack is provided
with wheels, so that it can be polled' out from its neighbours,
when a book on its shelves is required: for use. No doubt this
way of meeting the Fifth Law would be prejudicial to the
interests of the Third Law. , It is a, case of compromise here.
It is only books which are entirely out . of date and are not
likely to be of any but antiquarian interest that would be con-
signed to such closely packed racks.
7124 Easy Extension
As the size of the stack-room must grow with, the stock of ■
books, it is necessary that the architectural features and the
lay-out should admit of an easy extension of the stack-room.
Horizontal expansion may not always be possible. Hence, it
is desirable to make the foundations of the stack-room strong
enough to take extra tiers.
713 Book Rack
The unit racks of which the stack-room is built should all
be equal in every way, so that the additions can be made by
any number of units at a time. In particular, the sheif-planks
should all be of identical dimensions, so that they can be
interchanged in any manner. They should also be adjustable.
While steel-shelves can be made universally adjustable, even
wooden shelves can be made adjustable to an inch with the
help of Tonk’s fittings. The need for interchangeability and
adjustability can be understood if we put together the Fifth
Law and the fact that the books are to be arranged in a classi-
fied sequence on a subject basis. As further additions are
made, the books will have to be shifted from shelf to shelf, to
keep their relative sequence intact. As books will be of all
sizes, full freedom of adjustment of shelves will be necessary,
to avoid waste of space. A picture is given on page 332, and
a specification will be found in Appendix L
714 Mobility of Shelf- Label
Another consequence of shifting the books as the library
331
Unit Book-Rack with Adjustable Shelves, Bay-Guides
and Shelf-Guides. (Reproduced by the kind per-
mission of Mr. C. Seshachalam of Curzon Sc Co.,
Madras. Copyright, Curzon Sc Co.)
332
Periodicals Table. (Reproduced by the kind per-
mission of Mr. C. Seshachalam of Curzon & Co.,
Madras. Copyright : Curzon & Co.)
333
714 FIVE LAWS OF L.IB.RAR.Y SCIENCE ;
grows, will be the need for frequently changing the shelf-
labels. We have already seen the need for a very large num-
ber of shelf-labels. In fact, a ■shelf-label will have to be
assigned to every group of twenty books, on an average. The
frequency of shifting them as a result of the Fifth' Law is
bound to be very great. Hence, much thought has been de-
voted to the invention of a suitable form of label-holder.
Primitive methods of shelf-labelling, such as sticking the labels
to the edge of the shelf with gum or writing out the name of
the class on the edge with a piece of chalk, will prove un-
manageable in a growing library . A common form of label-
holder consists of a piece of transparent xylonite, bent at right
angles and fixed to the underside of the shelf with a pair of
drawing pins. The labour involved in pulling out and fixing
the pins turns out to be prohibitive. Another form of label-
holder is made of sheet metal, with the upper and lower edges
flanged so as to form grooves to receive the labels. They are
fitted to the shelves by projections at top and bottom, and are
capable of being moved forward and backward as required.
But the simplest and the cheapest method is to cut a groove
of a suitable cross-section in the edge of the shelf itself. The
shelf planks of the book-racks designed by me for the Madras
University are one inch thick. A slightly wedge-shaped groove
cut in its front edge takes a shelf-label 5/8" wide. The label
can be moved from end to end and can be inserted or remo-
ved without disturbing the shelf and its contents. This design
has proved to be quite satisfactory. There are no sharp edges
in this device and there is nothing involving waste of time.
715 Periodicals Room
Another part of the library building which needs careful
designing in the light of the Fifth Law is the periodicals room.
Its size and its furniture will have to be examined in the light
of the inevitable growth in the number of periodicals current
in a growing library. The rate of increase is indicated by the
following figures
334
FIFTH LAW
717,
' Name of ,
Library
In Year
No. of
Periodicals
In Year
No. of
1 Periodicals,
Amount .of
lncrea.se.
.Madras
1908
160
1931
913"
571%
Ames
1900
200
1925
.. 1,414
'. 707%-
California
1913
7,000
1925
11,179.
;. 160%:':
Illinois
1900
414
1924
9,943
,2401% .
Iowa :
1900
213
1925
1,176
552% ■
M.ichigan
1900
775
1925
3,361
'434%:
Minnesota
1906
32)
1925
1,715
534% ,
Oregon
1909
158
1925
778
492%.
Yale
1920
8,890
1925
11,548
130%. :.
Another factor to be remembered in this connection is that
the number of scientific periodicals published in the world
is estimated to exceed 25,000, while it would exceed 60,000 if
non-scientific periodicals are taken in the count.
716 Periodicals Table
To satisfy the first Four Laws in general, and the Third
Law and the Fourth Law in particular, it is necessary that the
current numbers of all the periodicals taken by the library
should be displayed in a classified sequence in a special perio-
dicals room. The periodicals room should be of a sufficiently
large size and should be so located and designed as to admit
of extension. Further, to economise in table space, at least
six rows of periodicals should be accommodated on each
side of each table. The periodicals should be made to stand
vertically with the front cover facing the reader. The rows
should be one behind the other in ascending steps, so that the
periodicals in ail the rows are clearly visible. A picture is given
on page 333 ; and a specification will be found in Appendix 2.
717 New Principles of Architecture
To give to library buildings, fittings and furniture, the
character of elasticity needed to prevent them from obstruc-
ting the free development of library service in full conformity
to the Fifth Law, new principles of architecture, such as
modular design and dry construction, are being exploited.
335
72
FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
72 Catalogue Room
Another part of the library building which should be gene-
rously provided, for in consequence of the growth in stock, is
the catalogue room or the room in which the catalogue
cabinets 'are kept. A standard unit cabinet, which occupies a
floor area of 23" x 28", can hold 48,000 catalogue cards. We
have seen that each book may have to be., given six catalogue
cards on an average, if the Second, Third and Fourth Laws
are to be satisfied. Thus, a unit cabinet is required for every
eight thousand volumes. One can also infer from this the rate
at which the number of catalogue cabinets will increase in a
growing library. This consequence of the Fifth Law should
be borne in mind in designing the catalogue room. Not only
should that room be made sufficiently big to begin with, but
provision should also be made for its extension. The Fourth
Law would, on its part, urge that this room should be located
just near the entrance to the stack-room.
721 Physical Form of Catalogue
We shall next consider the effect of the Fifth Law on the
physical form of the catalogue. If A Library is a Growing
Organism, it follows that the library catalogue will also be a
growing one. In fact, the rate of growth of the catalogue may
be said to be six times the rate of growth of the number of
books, as a book requires six entries on an average. Hence,
the first effort of the Fifth Law in the matter of the catalogue,
was to fight against the printed catalogue. Taking a library
which adds 6,000 volumes a year, and assuming that a page
of the printed catalogue can take 20 entries, a volume of 300
pages would be necessary to print a catalogue even on the basis
of one entry for a book. But, if,, in accordance with the
requirements of the other Laws, the catalogue should be of
the ‘classified form with an alphabetical index and a profusion
of cross-references, the volume would swell to 1,800 pages.
The time taken to see a catalogue of that size through the
press would keep it always behind date at least by a year.
336
FIFTH LAW
723
That ;is tO ' Say.,,^ the, latest books, which are of ' . the greatest
interest,, would not find a place in it. Further, there is the
. question of cost,, and that of cumulating the annual volumes
from time to time. On the other hand,, a library catalogue
.never, sells even when the price is nominal. Persons familiar
only with libraries which are either stationary or at best grow
inordinately slowly do not easily appreciate the waste and
confusion ' involved in printing the catalogue of a . growing
library. Accustomed to the periodical supply of printed lists'
by libraries of slow growth, such persons fret and fume if
p.rinted catalogues are not supplied. If one attempts to con- ’
vince them by argument, . they refuse to listen and express
their bitterness by saying that it is all the tyranny of experts.
It may be more, truly called the tyranny of large numbers or.
the tyranny of the Fifth Law. And the expe,rts only try to
find a way out of that tyranny.
722 Printed Book Form
But a more inexcusable attitude was that of the principal
of a college, who said that the college did not mind the cost,
since it realised the whole amount by forcing each student to
buy a copy. What a narrow view ! Was money to be wasted
simply because it came from the pocket of the student? If
money can be extracted from the students, can it not be utilised
to enrich the library collection, instead of being wasted on an
unwanted, out-of-date, poorly made list, passing under the
dignified title of Library Catalogue ? It is notorious how con-
siderations of economy begin to loom large when the ques-
tion of staff or the allotment for books is brought up. But
all sense of economy seems to vanish away when the annual
or biennial printing of the catalogue is undertaken.
723 Paste-Down Book Form
Assuming that the catalogue cannot be printed and that it
should be only a manuscript one, let us examine what form
the Fifth Law would recommend for it. It was the bound
book form that was in use for a long time. But, in a grow-
337
723 FIVE' LA'.W SCI'ENCE; ' ,
ing library,; the need for interpolating entries to keep; up-
their correct sequence soon led to the adoption of the paste-
down form.” In this form., the entries are written, typed or
printed on narrow strips of paper, which are pasted down on
the pages of a bound book, leaving ample interspace for
future interpolations. If any region gets congested, the strips
in that region are lifted up and redistributed. Apart from
such paste-down catalogues soon becoming an eye-sore, the
time and labour involved in lifting and pasting are prohibi-
tive. ■
724 Loose-Leaf Book Form
The next stage of evolution to which the Fifth Law brought
the catalogue was the loose-leaf form. Here, each leaf is
made to take about half a dozen entries and the relative
sequence of the leaves can be easily maintained. Several forms
of loose-leaf binders have been invented during the last
twenty or thirty years. The Kalamazoo binder is of a strong
and convenient form although it is a little too costly. The
loose-leaf idea, thus originated by the force of the Fifth Law
of Library Science, has now spread everywhere. Most of the
business houses are now bidding good-bye to their bound
books and are introducing loose-leaf ledgers in their place. '
Atlases, encyclopEedias, directories and such other publica-
tions, parts of which frequently become out of date, are
nowadays issued in loose-leaf form, so that they may be
maintained perpetually up-to-date, with the least cost and
the least waste.
725 One-Leaf— One Entry
But, even in the loose-leaf catalogue, the insertion of more
than one entry in a leaf led to a break in the sequence, which
became increasingly inconvenient as the library grew more
and more. To avoid this, the size of the leaf was reduced
and only one entry was put on a leaf. It was next felt that it
was inconvenient to handle such small thin leaves.
FIFTH LAW
73
726 Card Form
This brought into the field the card form of the catalogue.
After a good deal of experimentation,, 5" x 3" has now been
accepted' as the most convenient size. Each card gets one and
only .one, entry. Hence,' the right sequence^ is always main-
tained. Cards , of ‘01 inch thickness are found to ^ be suitable..
As the cards should stand wear and tear, tough cards of close
texture should be selected. Library suppliers like the Libraco,;
62, Cannon St, London, specialise in the production of such
cards. Their 35 cards, medium thickness, round punched,’’
which cost about Rs. 8-8-0 per 1,000, including freight and
customs duties, are found to be quite serviceable. As in the
case of the loose-leaf ledger, the card sytem is another epoch-
making contribution of the library profession to the business
world in general. It has introduced great convenience, free-
dom, neatness and up-to-dateness in the maintenance of all
kinds of record.
727 Shelf-Register
In the same manner, the shelf-register, which shows the
books in the sequence in which they lie on the shelf and is
indispensable for checking the stock of the library, has also
passed through similar stages of evolution and has finally
assumed the card form, as a result of the Fifth Law.
73 Classification Scheme
Another important matter that needs to be examined in the
light of the Fifth Law, is the classification of books. In the
first place, as A Library is a Growing Organism and as
knowledge itself is growing, it is necessary that the ‘‘ classi-
fication must be comprehensive, embracing all past and pre-
sent knowledge and allowing places for any possible additions
to knowledge.” Indeed this has been set down by Mr. Sayers
as the first canon of classification. To quote Sayers again,
“ A classification must be elastic, expansible, and hospitable
in the highest degree. That is to say, it must be so construct-
339
73 FIVE LAWS.OF X'lBR'A.R Y . S GIF.N C E
ed that any new subject may be inserted into it withoiit :d
locating its sequence.’’ Cases like that of ■
Matrices, Raman Effect, Internal -Combustion Engine, Radium,
Behaviourmn, Dalton Plan and, the entire subject of Sociology,
,have; had:. to, be acco,mmodated within living ine,mory. .It can-
not be said that all the printed schemes in'' force .ha ve^ come
quite iiiiscathed' out of this. trial.
731 Decimal Fraction Notation
In addition to the scheme of classes being comprehensive
and hospitablej The notation attached to them should be per-
fectly flexible. .The greatest service done to Librariaiiship by
Melvi! Dewey is the demonstration of the immense potentia-
lity of the decimal fraction notation in meeting the difflculties
due to growth, ft is regrettable that the influential scheme of
the Library of Congress should have failed to utilise the ser-
vices of such a flexible type of notation and have adopted the
primitive method of leaving gaps in the ordinary serial use of
numbers. The Fifth Law' will soon outgrow the gaps, how-
ever farsceing and generous they might be. It is only the
decimal fraction notation that will remain unbaffled by that
law. Indeed the brilliant success of the decimal fraction
notation in overcoming the trials of the Fifth Law^ of Library
Science is leading to its adoption in other spheres as well.
Analytically-minded authors like Jesperson and Whittaker,
are beginning to number the paragraphs and chapters of their
writings in a strictly decimal way. Some authors even claim
that the use of the decimal fraction notation adds substan-
tially to clarity of thought.
732 Standard Schemes
it is by no means easy to secure hospitality of classes and
flexibility of notation to the full satisfaction of the Fifth Law.
Un-thought-of difficulties are likely to crop up as the library
grows. One should not light-heartedly venture to construct
schemes of classification. The old plan of dividing a library
into about a dozen or two main classes and numbering the
340
733-
■ FIFTH .LA W
books in eacli class consecutively, as received, will soon prove-
inadequate' and lead to con.fiision, as the li.brary grows. It is
only ignorance of the Fifth Law that makes .many of oer lib-'
raries adopt such a plan. The best course ,is. to follow a recog-
• nised printed scheme of classification. There are four such
standard schemes used in English-speaking countries. They
Brawn's Subject Classification^ Cutter's Expansive Ciassi-
fimtian, Dewef s Decimal Classification and The Library of ..
[Congress Classification. Of these,, Dewey's Decimal Ciassifi-,
cation is the most popular. It is used in about 14,000 libraries.
The Library, of Congress. Classification is also being largely
used in America. The supply of printed catalogue cards .by
the Library of Congress is making this scheme popular.-
Cutter’s scheme and Brown’s scheme are not used in many
libraries as there is no agency to bring them up-to-date from
time to time. E. C. Richardson’s Classification, theoretical"'
and practical contains an essay on the bibliographical history'
of systems of classification.^ There are no less than 161 ' sys-
tems mentioned by him. But, as has been already said, it is.
only two of these that have stood the test of time.
733 Colon Classification
I have constructed a new scheme known as the Colon
Classification. It is adopted in the Madras University Library
and in a few other Indian libraries which are beginning to*
classify their books. The notation of the scheme is a mixed
one and has taken full advantage of the flexibility of the
decimal use of digits. It has also many mnemonic features.
The conscious use of multiple characteristics as basis of classi-
fication, without leading to cross classification, has made its
classes greatly elastic. The next volume of this series will give
an account of this classification. The development of the
Colon Classification during the last thirty years has led to
three techniques viz.^ Phase — , Facet-T-? and Zone — Analysis
and to the concept of Analytico-Synthetic Classification. These
satisfy the Fifth Law in a great measure. Such a scheme is^
now being called an Analytico-Synthetic Scheme.
341
734
FIVE LAWS' OR LIBRARY SCIENCE
734 Change of Scheme \
Before- proceeding further, it may bo advantageous to men-
tion here a practical detail which should be borne; in mind
along with' the Fifth Law. The- call number which individua-
lises' the book, has to be written in practice in a dozen places,
wz.', the back of , the title page of the book, the date label
■pasted in the book, the back of the book, the book card, the
shelf-register, the accession register, and- each one of the
■catalogue-cards corresponding to the book — and we have
already , stated that the average number of catalogue-cards is
six per book. This should make it plain that it is no ordinary
matter to change the classification of a library. The labour,
the time and the cost involved will be prohibitive.
735 Mutilation of Scheme
This practical difficulty should dissuade libraries from adopt-
ing a scheme in part. It is not uncommon for libraries, that
have not realised the full implications of the Fifth Law, to
mutilate the chosen scheme — say, to three figures of Dewey
or four figures of Dewey as they desire. But as the library
grows, the need for fuller details would arise and it would be
no easy matter to change or extend the call numbers of all the
books. An equally dangerous course is to modify the chosen
scheme here and there; but one should not venture such
modifications without seeing far into the future and examining
whether the modifications proposed will not, at some time or
other, come into conflict with the mnemonic features of the
notation, or with the methods of division into classes. It is
not enough if the modifications appear to be feasible with the
existing classification. A mutilated scheme, that may appear
to work well under certain conditions of size, will seldom work
successfully as the library grows. In Engineering, it is a well-
known fact that the construction of small models is often
quite an easy matter, whereas to develop them on a large scale
presents serious technical problems which can often be solved
only by some new method of attack. So it is with classifica-
342
FIFTH LAW
742,
lion. As. A Library is a Growing' Organism, there is a' great
need for prudent planning on account of the, difficulty of
■changing the scheme later. The wisest course, is to adopt a ■
tried scheme as it is, without modifying it here and there.
74 Readers and Issue of Books
We shall next consider the increase in the number of read-
ers in the light of the following factors: —
1 the size of the reading room ;
2 the issue method ; and
3 certain safeguards.
741 Reading Room
Taking the size of the reading room first, it is seldom that
the Fifth Law does not outwit the library authorities. To take
an example, the Authorities of the Madras University Library
stated, in 1911, that the Law would be satisfied with a reading
room 60' X 24'. But, by 1926, it had to ask for rooms mea-
suring, on the whole, 220' X 35'. If the present rate of in-
crease of readers persists, it may not be long before it will
have to ask for additional accommodation for readers. The
generous way in which the Yale University has met the de-
mands of the Fifth Law in this matter can be seen from the
following account : — ‘‘ The reading rooms included a general
room seating 260 readers, and shelving 15,000 reference books;
a reserved book room, seating 220 readers, and shelving 25,000
volumes of duplicates for class use, with provision in the
basement for as many more volumes, a periodical room, seat-
ing 120, with wall-shelving for 2,000 different current serials;
a special room for undergraduates, seating 165, and shelving
30,000 of the best books in English on all subjects. A ' com-
muters ’ study’ in the basement shelved 1,000 of the most
important reference books, and provided 90 seats.” Thus,
this library has made provision for nearly 1,000 readers.
742 Growth of Issue Work
Increase of readers leads to increase of issues. Here are
343
742 FIVE LAWS. OF ■LiBRA„Rr SCIENCE ;
some figures showing the rate of.increase of issue .in cerlaio
University Libraries:—
Name of
Library
.Year
No. of vols.
issued (in
thousands)
Year
,No. of vols.
issued (in :
thousands)
Amount of
. increase %
Madras
1914
5,000
1930
■ 113,000
.■2,260 ■.
California
1910
184,000
1925
896,000
, 487 ,
Cincinnati
1905'
21,000
1925
■ 134,000
" 690
Co.fumbia
1905
232,000
1924
1,206,000
520
Michigan
1910
204,000
1925
477,000
234
Minnesota
1910
115,000
1925
441,000
422 ■
7421 Scope for Further .Growth
The following table, relating to some British Municipal
Libraries, not only shows the magnitude of the issue work as
it is now, but also throws some light on the scope for a still
greater issue. As the Second Law would not be statisfied
until the percentage of borrowers to population reaches 90, it
follows that there is much room for increase in issue in almost
all the towns mentioned in the table : —
Town
Popu-
lation
^ Percentage
1 Borrowers
^ ^ i to Population
Total
issues
W'igun.' .
91,200
8,002
8‘7
258,908
Twickenham
34,790
4,404
12*6
142,838
York
84,039
12,116
14-4
380,576
Walthamstow
129,395
19,043
14*7
632,517
Cheltenham
50,630
8,030
15-9
279,105
Wiilesden
177,973
29,192
16*4
908,980
Swinton and Pendlebury ...
34,750
5,814
16-7
217,205
Southend-on-Sea
128,500
22,628
17-0
770,414
Choriey
30,581
5,663
18*5
162,024
Kirkaldy
45,000
9,916
20-0
229,259
Stockport
123,315
26,704
21-7
545,027
Northampton
90,895
19,984
22*0
552,790
Royal Lamington Spa
29,450
7,107
24*1
216,249
Barwen
38,200
11,733
30‘0 .
323,241
Montrose
10,979 6,624
60*3
131,770
FIFTH LAW
.745,
743- .Open Access
This great increase, in issue has to be borne in mind In
plaiming the issue, methods. When the issue amoimts to
hundreds per day, the. old-fashioned, method of making an
aiteiidaiit p.ick out the books asked for and dole them across
the , counter would require ' the Mi-timed service of , about
twenty attendants. As the issue growls further, the staff of
attendants would stand in need of proportionate strengthen-
ing. Such an indefinite increase of men, for do,in,gthe mecha-
nical work of issuing, is considered uiiecoiiom,icaI and the
lib.rary authorities are being driven to recognise that the
* open acess ’ system is the only method of meeting the ' Fifth
Law.
744 Ledger System of Issue
Further, the ledger method of issue simply breaks' down..
The average number of volumes issued is usually double the
number of readers visiting the library. The number of opera-
tions involved in the issue of a volume by the ledger method
has heeii indicated in section 671. It can be seen from the,se
data that the process of making the entries in the ledger
method of issue would involve the employment of several
counter-clerks, and even with them, it would.be hardly
practicable to cope with the situation in rush hours. Evening
hours, '■■just before the- library is to close, are usually tush-
hours. .Most of the readers would be leaving the library- in
the last few minutes of the day and the ledger method of
issue would become simply impossible.
745 Two-Card System of Issue
On the other hand, the crowd can be handled most expedi-
tiously by the ‘ reader’s ticket, book card ’ method mentioned
in sections 673 to 676. Further, this method automatically
solves the problem of identifying the borrowers. This problem
becomes serious, as the number of borrowers increases. It
becomes impossible to depend on one’s memory for faces.
l.s.-“-22
745
FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
Big eolleges and popular public libraries find it increasingly
difficult to handle this problem. The introduction of the
reader’s ticket transfers the responsibility from the counter-
staff to the readers themselves. Each reader is made responsi-
ble for the books drawn on his tickets and it is his business
to keep the tickets in his personal custody and prevent their
use by others.
7451 Enforcement of Rules
Further, the issue of as many tickets as the number of
volumes which the reader is entitled to and the locking up in
the library of one ticket against every book in his possession
automatically secures that he does not remove from the
library at any one time more volumes than he is entitled to.
It is hardly practicable to secure this in the ledger method as
the number of readers increases.
7452 Statistical Work
Again, the reader’s tickets coupled with corresponding
book-cards are arranged behind the date guide in accordance
with the call number on the book-cards, the different statistics
of the daily issue are obtained with the least loss of time and
labour. On the other hand, in the ledger method, in which
the books will be entered only in the order of issue, the col-
lection of these statistics will involve much labour and incon-
venience and may become impracticable as the daily issue
grows in bulk.
746 Even Floors
The issue aspect of the Fifth Law has some bearing on
library design also. Increase in issue implies also increase in
the number of volumes to be replaced. In the earlier stages,
the few volumes to be replaced can be conveniently carried by
hand. But, as the issue increases, it may not be convenient
to do so. It will become necessary to carry them on a book-
trolley. It means that the room of the library should be
devoid of raised thresholds and that the floor should be
346
FIFTH LAW
748
throughout even and in one level, so as to admit of the wheel-
ing of the book-trolley to any part of the floor. If there be
more than one floor, they should be connected by a lift
large enough to carry the book-trolley. The lift-floor should
stand flush with the floor of the building.
747 Safeguards
As the number of readers increases, the problem of pre-
venting unauthorised removal of books from the library be-
comes acute in open access libraries. It is not practicable
to watch every reader unless certain safeguards are introduc-
ed. The safeguards should really secure that all the readers
can leave the library only one at a time through a particular
door, at which vigilance can be exercised. The safeguards con-
sist of the following arrangements ; —
Entrance to the library must be by one and only one gate
and exit also must be by one and only one gate. The gates
should be normally in the locked position. They should open
only if the counter-assistant releases the catch. The moment
the reader leaves it, it should automatically lock itself. The
gate-way should be big enough to allow one and only one
reader to pass through it at a time. All other doorways and
windows should be fitted with Jali-work shutters or weld-mesh
shutters, whose meshes are too small for a book to be
passed through. Further, no reader should be allowed to
replace the books on the shelves.
748 Disservice to Open Access
The need for such safeguards may not be realised when the
number of readers and the issue are small. But it will become
serious as the library grows, particularly as the issue grows.
Perhaps, the greatest disservice to the open access system is
done by the imprudent enthusiasts who introduce the system
without the necessary safeguards. As the library grows, loss
exceeds a reasonable limit and the system is hastily condemn-
ed. Such mistakes should be avoided from the very begin-
ning, i.e., even when the library is small — as the Library is a
347
748 five LAWS OF LIBRARY SCiENCE
Growing Organism, which grows constantly and by imper-
ceptible degrees.
75 Stair
We now turn to the third factor— the staff. Even those,
who realise the truth of the Fifth Law in regard to the books
and the readers, fail to recognise the need for the growth in
the third factor. The safe-guarded open access system and the
tnodern issue-method eliminate the need lor growth in the
counter-staff and considerably minimise the need for growth
in the number of attendants. But, the book section, the
periodicals section, the cataloguing section, the binding sec-
tion and the reference section have to grow as the library
grows. Of these five sections, the' growth of the first three
depend only on the rate of growth of the first factor— books.
But, the growth of the last two sections depends not only on
the growth of the stock but also on the growth of the num-
ber of readers. The Fifth Law would urge library authorities
to remember that the efficiency of a library cannot be main-
tained at the proper level, unless provision is made for the
necessary growth in all these five sections of the library staff.
751 SPEGtAHSATlON
Granting that the library authority provides for the growth
of the staff to the needed extent, the growth of the staff
brings, in its train, certain new problems of organisation.
With a large staff, more machinery of supervision and more
records become necessary. With a staff of one efficient person,
we get maximum results. With a staff of two equally efficient
persons we may perhaps get twice the work done. But, with
a staff of ten, we cannot get ten times the work ; the ratio is
bound to be much -less. It is the task of the organiser, the
man at the head, to keep this ratio as high as possible. A
recognised method of doing this is to seize the opportunity
for specialisation which size undoubtedly brings with it. Such
specialisation should be carried one step further, every time
the staff is increased.
348
FIFTH. LAW
754-^
752 Progressive-. Specialisation ■
:. As soon as a library increases the staff from one to two,
the counter-work and reference service should be .sepa.rated
from all other items of work and assigned , to one of them.
At the next stage, it may be desirable to form three : sections--™
the administrative section,: the technical section (classification '
and cataloguing), and the counter-section. At the next stage,
a reference section may.. be formed. If the staff are increased
still further, the administrative- section may be split up into '
order section, accession section, periodicals section, binding
section, accounts section, correspondence section, and so on,
as opportunity , presents, itself. .Similarly, the technical section
may be bifurcated, into classification section and. cataloguing
-section. It may .further be a great advantage if the members
of the. reference section specialize in different subjects, as the
section grows in strength..
753 Inter-Sectional Transfer .
When the library staff are divided into many sections, it is
necessary to determine carefully the section to which each
member of the staff is best fitted, physically, academically,
and temperamentally. While periodical inter-sectional trans-
fers may be desirable from the point of view of the staff,
such transfers should primarily be subject to the principle that
the library should get the best service which each person is
ca.pable of. '
754 Staff-Council
In a library with a large staff, it may be useful to form a
staff-council. The council may be made up of the librarian,
the heads of sections and one representative of each section.
The staff-council may advise the librarian —
I in the systematization of the work of the sections
with due regard to efficiency and economy of
material, energy and time;
349
754 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
in solving problems involving intersectional
relationship;
3 in developing the book resources of the library
in a harmonious manner ;
4 in devising methods for improving the service to
the public; and
5 in organising extension work of all kinds.
755 Sectional Meeting
Incidentally, such a council will develop good comradeship
and esprit de corps &raoxig the members of the staff and train
the junior members in organisation and original thinking. It
will also develop in them a sense of responsibility and owner-
ship. While the librarian may preside over the meetings of
the council and of the general body, it may be useful to make
the heads of sections themselves preside over the meetings of
the respective sections. This will give increased opportunities
for them to develop powers of leadership. If at all, the
librarian may be present at the meeting and take part in
discussions without the power of vote.
756 Spirit of the Hive
As a library has to work on all days and for long hours,
the organisation of the reference section and the counter-sec-
tion requires the greatest skill and care, so that there may be
absolute continuity in the work and that the change of shift
could be effected smoothly and quickly with the least disloca-
tion of work. Indeed, the readers should not be able to per-
ceive that a change in personnel had come. The details of
this organisation and the machinery that has to be set up to
secure proper control and co-ordination will be discussed in
the later volumes — Reference service and bibliography and
Library administration. But there is one factor that may be
mentioned here. That is the spirit of the staff. The members
of the staff should be on the most cordial terms among them-
selves. They should be willing to co-operate with one another
in every possible way. There should not be the least trace of
350
FIFTH LAU
762
jealousy or envy. The propensity to claim credit exclusively
to oneself should be completely got over. Self . should be sup-
pressed to such a degree that every member' is prepared tO'
pass off all work as anonymous. Maeterlinck’s picture of the
work in the bee-hive contains the most vivid and accurate'
description of the spirit that should come over a library staff,
asTt inevitably grows in accordance with the Fifth Law, ' if it
is to function with maximum efficiency.
She ... , like the foundresses, abruptly departs and aban-
dons her model. Her place is taken at once by an impatient
worker, who continues the task that a third will finish, while'
others close by are attacking the rest of the surface and the
opposite side of the wall ; each one obeying the general law
of interrupted and successive labour, as though it were an
inherent principle of the hive that the pride of toil should be
distributed and every achievement be anonymous and com-
mon to all, that it might thereby become more fraternal.”
The spirit of the hive should prevail among the library staff
if the inconveniences due to the Fifth Law are to be avoided.
76 Evolution
So far, we have dealt only with the consequences of growth
in size. We shall now turn to the other attribute of a grow-
ing organism, viz,, variation and evolution of new forms.
761 Earliest Stage
In the earliest days, a library is said to have been denoted
by a word which meant a place for hiding books in. Later on
they seem to have been literal prisons for books. That prison-
life of the books appears to have been much more rigorous
than that of even some of the C class prisoners of to-day. I
believe it is not every C class prisoner that is kept chained
all the hours of the day ; but the libraries of "the medieval
days kept their books perpetually in chains,
762 Limited Freedom
It was only in the seventeenth and the eighteenth centuries^
351
762 . FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
that the inhuman aspect of this way of preserving books
appears to have been realised. Even then the freedom that
was first given to the books was only comparable to the free-
dom given to ^ class prisoners. That is to say, they were
given freedom of movement only within the four walls of the
library, even as an ,4 class prisoner is perhaps permitted to
take his constitutional walks within the boundary of the
prison walls.
763 Stock-Taking vs. Stock-Use
Then came the period of grudgingly lending them out. But
sense of property still dominated. In that period, the libraries
appear to have devoted their main attention, to the stock-
taking process, to the number of, books lost, to the number
of books damaged— never mind even if it was due to the wear
and tear of legitimate use— to the fixing up of the responsi-
bility for such loss or damages, and to such other factors
almost to the exclusion of the statistics of issue, the statistics
of membership, the percentage of the community that was still
keeping out from libraries and the means of bringing them
under the influence of the libraries.
764 Present Stage
But the slow change that began to appear at the turn of
the present centur attained a huge amplitude as a result of
the Great War ; and the highly differentiated and complicated
character of the organisation of the library of to-day makes it
as far different from the ancient Chinese “place to hide books
in ” as the human group is from the protozoa group or the
Atlantic Liner of 60,000 tons is from Columbus’s ‘Santa
Maria.’
765 Future
What further stages of evolution are in store for this
Growing Organism— the library— we cannot anticipate fully.
Who knows that a day may not come when the dissemination
of knowledge, which is the vital function of libraries, will be
352
FIFTH LAW
77
realised even by means other than those of the printed book ?
At least ' Wells^®" has pictured a world in which dissemina-
tion of knowledge will be effected by direct thought-transfer
unmediated by the spoken or the printed word* An ancient
tradition of India gives an exquisite picture of communica-
tion in silence :
Look at the foot of that banyan tree.
What a wonder and what a beauty !
How aged the pupils, but
How youthful the teacher ! !
All the doubts of the pupils stand resolved
By the teacher’s eloquence of silence !!!
766 Variety of Forms
Without indulging in such speculations, we may have a look
at the variety of forms into which the library organism has
differentiated itself in our present day. We have the Munici-
pal or City library, the Rural or District library, the academic
libraries such as the School library, the College library and
the University library, the Business library, the Commercial
library, the Seafarers* library, th'e Children’s library, the
Intermediate library — a species that is just beginning to ap-
pear— the library for the blind and many other special libra-
ries. Each one of these species has problems and peculiarities
of its own, in addition to certain common features. It will
take us beyond the scope of this book to deal with each of
them in a detailed manner. There are special treatises that
deal with each such species, , .
353
77
FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
77 Vital Principle
But the vital principle of the library— which has struggled
through all the stages of its evolution, is common to all its
different forms and will persist to be its distinguishing feature
for all time to come — is that it is an instrument of universal
education, and assembles together and freely distributes all
the tools of education and disseminates knowledge with their
aid. This vital principle—' the spirit of the library’— persisting
through all its forms is like the Inner Man ; and to it are
applicable the words®"' of the Lord ; —
As a person casts off worn-out garments and puts on others
that are new, so does the embodied soul cast off worn-out
forms and enter into others that are new.
Weapons do not cleave him ; fire does not burn him ;
water does not make him wet ; nor does the wind make him
dry.
He cannot be cloven ; he cannot be burnt ; he cannot be
wetted; he cannot be dried; he is eternal, all-pervading,,
steadfast and immovable ; he is the same for ever.
JT^11% >111^ Jld3qfl#l I
Htqcr: H=TTcTq: ii
354
CHAPTER 8
SCIENTIFIC METHOD, OEIARY SCIENCE
AND MARCH OF DfGVIJAYA
80 What is a Science?
^ "‘Is there, a library science?.’’ is a question raised , quite
'often. Sir P. S. Sivaswamy Aiyar raised it in the Foreword to
the first edition of this book. A reviewer of the Preface io
library science^^~^ containing the inaugural lectures to the
Department of Library Science formed by the University of
Delhi in 1947, challenged the term ‘Library Science’ in the
pages of Nature^^^ Sri C. Rajagapalachari raised the question
in his speech from the chair at the Silver Jubilee Celebrations
of the Madras Library Association in April 1953. In reality,
the answer to this question turns on the answer to another
question — “ What is a science ? ” The note of scepticism in
regard to Library Science is often traceable to some restric-
ted definition of the term Science. Two such restrictions are
common ; and they can be shown to be false.
801 Subject OF Study
One restriction assumed in the definition of a science
relates to the subject of study. The course of studies and the
nomenclature in vogue in universities at first restricted science
to cover only the study of the physical world and its pheno-
mena. In course of time, it has been extended to cover also
the study of the world of living bodies and its phenomena.
But there is a growing support to another view of science. In
this view, the subject of study is not relevant in determining
the claim of a domain in the universe of knowledge to be
deemed a science. Karl Pearson'^®* had stated this view as
follows: “The field of science is unlimited; its material is
endless, every group of natural phenomena, every phase of
social life, every stage of past or present development is mate-
rial for science.” The two following dictionary definitions of
the term, ‘Science’ reflect this generalised view of its subject of
355
EOl ' FIVE /LAWS O'F LIBRARY SCIENCE ,
stody: (1) A system based ' or purporting to be based upon
scientific principles : a method of arrangement, functioning,
etc., reconciling practical or utilitarian ends with scientific
laws: e.g., Domestic Science; Animal Husbandry. (2) Accu-
mulated and accepted knowledge which has been systematised
and formulated with reference to the general truths and made
available' in work, life, or the search of truth. Again, the
epigram of Jevons,^^® Science arises from the discovery of
Identity amidst Diversity,” severely ignores the subject of
study. The following dictionary definition also does so : A
Science is A branch of study which is concerned either with
a connected body of demonstrated truths or with observed
facts systematically classified and more or less collected by
being brought under general laws and which includes trust-
worthy methods for the discovery of new truth within its own
domain.” The essential characteristic of a science is thus
not what it treats about, but what it acheives in respect of
what it treats about — ^what Omar Khayyam‘S'*® longed to
achieve :
Ah Love ! Could you and I with Him conspire
To grasp this sorry Scheme of Things entire.
Would not we shatter it to bits^ — and then
Re-mould it nearer to the Heart’s desire !
802 Method of Study
A second restriction often assumed tacitly in the definition
of a science relates to the method of study. At the beginning
of the nineteenth century, Birckbeck introduced experimental
demonstration in teaching the pure sciences. Since then, in
due course, the nomenclature in vogue in universities tended
to restrict science to cover only a domain of knowledge admit-
ting of experimental study. It was easily seen to be an over-
restriction, as it would exclude, from the right to be called
a science, an ancient science like Astronomy; for it uses
observation only and not experimentation needing a labora-
tory. To escape this danger, Jeans makes a different approach :
‘‘ A science teaches us to know and an art to do ; and all the
356
S C I EN T IFI C M E T HO D
81;r
more perfect sciences lead "to the creation of' corresponding
nseful arts. Astronomy iS' the- foundation of ' ^navigatm^^
Genung’s illustration is more to the point: Rhetoric; here-
called an art, is sometimes defined as a science. Both desig- '
nations are true.. Science is systematised knowledge ^ if ' the
laws and principles of discourse are exhibited in an ordered .
and inter-related system', they appear in the cha*acter' 'Of a
science. Art is knowledge made efficient by skill ; if the rheto-
rical laws and principles are applied' in the actual construction
of discourse, they become the working rules of art.’*' This
view permits observation also as a basis for the formulation
of laws in a science. On the analogy of Genung’s illustration,
there can be an Art of Librarianship as well as a Library
Science.
803 Mode of Development
The anproach to the definition of Science through the sub-
ject of study or the method of study has given only negative
results. A positive help can be got by an examination of the
mode of development of a domain of knowledge. In this
approach, ‘^Science’ is the name given to a domain in the
universe of knowledge, whose development is characterised
by a method called ‘Scientific Method’. We should therefore
begin with a description of scientific method.
81 Scientific Method
811 Assumed Terms
In the description of scientific method, we shall use the
following as assumed terms :
Know, Knower, Knowee, Knowledge ;
Senses, Sensation or Perception, Observation, Experimen-
tation ;
Intellect, Association, Reasoning, Logic, Inductive Logic,
Deductive Logic ;
Memory, Remembering, Recalling ;
Emotion, Feeling.; .•
357
811
FIVE LAWS OF L I B R A R Y S C I E N C E
The mode of knowing with- the aid of
methods mentioned in the last four sections' is called Kartru-
Tanira in Sanskrit. It means Knower-Dependent
Intuition or trans-intellectual, trans-sensory, trans-emo-
tional, and trans-memory mode of directly knowing a Lhing-
.■In-itself..- . .
This mode is called Vastu-Tantra in Sanskrit, It is said to
be acquired by Tapas, a method of concentration, self-subli-
mation, and seif-development ; and it means ''Knowee-
Dependent’’.
812 Emergence of Knowledge
When knower and knowee are brought into relation, the
knower knows the knowee ; and knowledge emerges. Know-
ledge is expressed in language or in some other medium ; and
expressed knowledge is stored in memory. The simplest mode
of knowing is for the knower to perceive the knowee with the
aid of one or other of the primary senses. This action may be
called primary perception. Little is known about primary
perception ; perhaps it is ordinarily experienced only by the
new-born baby. Soon after birth, association of the results
of two or more simultaneous primary perceptions would take
place. Each new perception will also be instantaneously and
spontaneously and inexorably associated with what is already
stored in memory. In due course, the mode of knowing goes
beyond perception and association ; it includes reasoning ;
and reasoning progressively gets more involved. Increasingly
sharper and more powerful logic is used in the reasoning. In
course of time, two classes of knowee come to be recognised
— one outside the memory of the knower, and the other in-
side it. An external knowee may be called a Concrete Knowee
or an Object; and an internal knowee may be called an
Abstract Knowee or a Concept. The former adds to concrete
knowledge ; and the latter to abstract knowledge. Further, a
concept, with an object as an external correlate, may be call-
ed a Concrete Concept; and one without it, an Abstract
Concept. We can speak of increasing degrees of abstraction.
358
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
814
Concrete and Abstract are only relative terms ; they have a
meaning only when used together either explicitly o
implicitly. We can think of a Scale of Abstraction or of the
reverse of it, viz., a Scale of Concreteness. The term Entity
may be used to denote either an object or a concept.
813 Universe of Knowledge
Language, record, and other forms of communication
across space and through time make it possible for mankind
to cumulate one another’s knowledge and add to it co-opera-
tively either in a systematic or in a casual way. Universe of
Knowledge is the sum-total, at the moment, of such cumula-
ted knowledge. It is being continuously developed and added
to. Different domains of the universe of knowledge are deve-
loped by different methods. Scientific method is one of the
recognised methods of development.
814 Spiral OF Scientific Method
Scientific method is characterised by a never-ending spiral
movement. It is schematically represented in the diagram on
the next page. The cycle implied in the spiral will be
followed in the clock- wise direction. For convenience of re-
ference, the four cardinal points of the cycle are denoted by
the terms Nadir, Ascendent, Zenith, and Descendent. The
nadir marks the accumulation of facts, obtained by observa-
tion, experimentation, and other forms of experience. The
ascendent marks the accumulation of inducted or empirical
laws got out of the facts accumulated at the nadir, by induc-
tive logic including normal equations and other aids from
statistical calculus. The zenith marks the fundamental laws
formulated with the aid of intuition of some degree or other
so as to comprehend ail the inducted or empirical laws ac-
cumulated at the ascendent as compelling implications. The
descendent marks the accumulation of the deduced laws got
from the fundamental laws at the zenith, with the aid of
deductive logic including general semantics and all kinds of
mathematical calculuses.
359
SCIENT-rFIC METHOD
M€
: ::The:^:fo^ rise 'to four quadrants in the
cycle implied in the spiral. For convenience of reference, the
quadrants will, be numbered 1 to 4 respectively, as follows :.
Quadrant 1 is the one between descendant and nadir ; 'Quad-
rant 2; is the one between nadir and' ascendent ; Quadrant 3-
is the one between 'ascendent and zenith ; and Quadrant' 4 is
the one between zenith- and descendent.. The following 'State-
ment is taken to be intelligible in the light'of what has been
said already: —
8141 Quadrant 1
Quadrant 1 corresponds to the stage in the development of
a domain of the universe of knowledge, conforming to
scientific method, in which: —
1 primary senses are used either in their native state or
with the aid of instruments of various degrees of power-^
fulness;
2 observations are made of knowees, either with or with-
out experimental interference and conditioning ;
3 there is progression towards particularisation, and re-
gression from generalisation ;
4 there is progression towards concreteness and, regression
from abstractness ; and
5 facts are found and recorded.
8142 Quadrant 2
Quadrant 2 corresponds to the stage in which : —
1 intellect is used either by itself or aided by machinery
constructed to speed up the work of the intellect and to give
relief to it in some measure ;
2 reasoning is made with the aid of inductive logic includ-
ing normal equations and other statistical and other calculu-
ses to boll down the numerous facts accumulated at the nadir
to a small number of inducted or empirical laws —
Kepler’s Law of Equal Area, in the motion of planets, boiled
lown from the facts recorded by Tycho Brahe — more easy to
lold in memory than the multitude of the facts themselves ;
361
8142 FIVE LAWS OF library SCIENCE
3 there is regression from particularisation, and progres-
sion towards generalisation ;
4 there is regression from concreteness, and progression
towards abstractness ; and
5 inducted or empirical laws are formulated and recorded.
8143 Quadrant 3
Quadrant 3 corresponds to the stage in which
1 intuition of some intensity or other is used unmediated
by the primary senses or the intellect ;
2 the inducted or empirical laws stand boiled down to a
very small number of fundamental laws — e.g., Newton’s Laws
of Motion, to which many empirical laws such as the
Kepler’s Laws are reduced at one stroke— more easy to hold
in memory than the more numerous empirical or inducted
laws ;
3 there is regression from particularisation and progres-
sion towards ultimate generalisation ;
4 there is regression from concreteness and progression
towards ultimate abstractness ; and
5 the fundamental laws are seized and recorded.
8144 Quadrant 4
Quadrant 4 corresponds to the stage in which
1 intellect is used either by itself or aided by machinery
constructed to speed up the work of the intellect and give
relief to it in some measure ;
2 reasoning is made with the aid of deductive logic includ-
ing general semantics, and mathematical and other calculuses
to work outall the compelling implications of the funda-
mental laws;
3 there is progression towards particularisation, and re-
gression from generalisation ;
4 there is progression towards concreteness, and regression
from abstractness ; and
5 the deduced laws are derived and recorded ;
6 the derived deduced laws include one and all of the
362
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
8147
.inducted '.empirical laws;. and
■ 7 ■ the number of deduced laws exceeds that of, the empiri-
eal laws, if the fundamental laws had been , seized with intui-
lion of adequate intensity.
8145 Entrance into the Next Cycle ,
The spiral of scientific method begins the 'next cycle there-
after, by re-entering quadrant 1. Two things happe'n at the-
stage of development corresponding to quadrant 1 in the new
cycle:
! observations and experiments are made to verify em,piri-
cally the validity of the new deduced laws ; and
2 further observations and experiments are' made- continu-'
ously and this leads to accumulation of new empirical facts.
8146 Helpfulness of the Fundamental Laws
So long as the deduced laws are empirically verified to be
true and the new empirical facts are found to be in confor-
mity to the implications of the fundamental laws, there is no
further movement in the spiral , and the fundamental laws
hold sway and continue to be deemed helpful. But, this
seldom holds good for long. Disturbance arises sooner or
later in almost all the domains in the universe of knowledge,
as they get cultivated and developed,
8147 Arduous Effort
As and when empirical facts and experience appear to con-
tradict the fundamental laws, arduous effort is made to ensure
absence of any kind of fallacy in the process of deduction,
any kind of defect in the logic or the calculus used in the pro-
cess, and any kind of fault in the experiment or observation
or in the instruments used. When warranted, more powerful
instruments of observation, more exacting experiments, and
sharper calculuses for deduction, are devised. Witness, for
example, the invention of mass-spectroscopy which dissolved
an apparent contradiction to Dalton’s fundamental law about
the atom, the devising of observations of stars during
363
8147; ; F I V E ' LAWS ■ O F L I B R A R Y S C I E N C E
total solar ;eclipse which dissolved an apparent coEtradiction
to Emstein’s -fiiEdamental law of relativity, and the Bnceasing
progress in the development of general semantics, and the
mathematical calculuses to make deductions penetrating and
free from fallacies. Every effort should also be made to re-
interpret the terms in the formulation of the fundameiital
laws with the aid of exegetics, so as to get out of them their
fullest possible import, lying hidden until the necessary em-
pirical experience draws attention to it.
8148 Declaration of Crisis
Now and again, contradiction between the empirical facts
of experience and the currently used fundamental laws per-
sists, in spite of all the possible precautions to ensure absence
of faults and fallacies in the building of the facts of experi-
ence and the inference of the implications of the fundamental
laws, and in spite of every possible and proper use of exege-
tics. Then we have to recognise the existence of a new class
of facts and declare the incidence of a crisis in the application
of the scientific method.
8149 Resolution of Crisis
Then, the new class of empirical facts are accumulated at
the nadir; and a new cycle gets into full swing and carries
the spiral of scientific method further. Work in quadrant 2
leads to a new set of empirical laws. Work in quadrant 3
leads to the seizing of a new set of fundamental laws. Work
in quadrant 4 leads to a new set of deduced laws. Work in
quadrant 1 is again started as before. This cycle is liable to
be repeated without end in many a domain.
815 Definition OF Science
Any domain in the universe of knowledge, irrespective of
the subject and the method of study, which admits of the
above-described spiral of scientific method in its develop-
ment, is a science. In the natural sciences, including the physi-
cal and the biological sciences, the fundamental laws are
364 .
SCIENTIFIC METHOD ; ' ' : 815:
called hypotiieses. They furnish a descriptive formulation of
the: empirical facts of experience. In the social sciences, such
as education, political science, economics,' sociology, law, and
library science — which is also one of them— the . fundamental
laws are called normative principles. They .furnisli an inter-
pretative explanation of the empirical facts of experience and
of the techniques found necessary in experience. Tlievterms
' true ’ and ' false ’ apply only to facts and the empirical and
deduced laws. They do not apply to hypotheses and norma-
tive principles — that is, to fundamental laws. These can only
be described as helpful or unhelpful, according as they fit in or
not with the facts of empirical experience. Newton’s laws did
not fit in with certain new empirical facts found during the pre-
sent century ; and in this context, they ceased to be helpful
hypotheses and gave place to Einstein’s laws of relativity.
These two sets of laws belong to two different cycles in the
spiral of scientific method. As it often happens, particularly
if the laws are seized by a sufficiently intensive intuition, the
Newtonian hypothesis is contained in the Einsteinian hypo-
thesis. For, the former is got out of the latter by taking the
speed of light to be greater than any conceivable finite speed.
Similarly, the old second law of library science — v/z.. Books
are for the Chosen Few — did not fit in with the library practi-
ces coming into vogue in community after community during
the lagt century as a result of the onslaught of democracy.
In this context, it ceased to be a helpful normative principle
and gave place to the new second law — v/z., Books are for
All. These two laws belong to two different cycles in the spiral
of scientific method. It can also be seen that the former ver-
sion of the second law is contained as a particular case in the
latter version. Again, the old normative principle of political
science — v/z., ' The king can do no wrong ’ — did not fit in with
the political practices coming into vogue in community after
community during the last two centuries as a result of the
onslaught of republic-idea. In this context, it ceased to be a
helpful normative principle and gave place to the new norma-
tive principle — The Judiciary can do no wrong. As all the
365
8!5 ' y FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
functions of the judiciary were vested in - the king ' in the-
earlier days, the earlier normative principle was contained in
the latter.';, ,
8 16., Delay IN Recognising Social Sciences
8161 Natural Sciences
Natural sciences were admitted as sciences, as tested by the
use of scientific method in their development, much earlier-
than social sciences. This was because, in the case of natural
sciences: — • ■
1 observation— corresponding to quadrant 1 of the cycle-
can be impersonal and nearly objective, subject only to the
errors of observation which could be corrected by the curve
of errors and the calculus of observations designed more than
a century ago by Gauss ;
2 experiments— corresponding to quadrant 1— can be made
without any let or hindrance in the case of physical sciences
and with a minimum of mental revulsion even with the living
bodies of the lower organisms ; and
3 the mathematical calculuses, necessary and sufficient to
make induction and deduction — corresponding to quadrants
2 and 4 — within the domain of the natural sciences, had been
forged a few centuries earlier and there has been a continuous
sharpening of them.
8162 Social Sciences
On the other hand, in the case of social sciences, unfavour-
able factors prevail in all the three quadrants. Observation is
vitiated by the observed entity being man himself with all the
obstructions which his mind causes. Experimentation is diffi-
cult, if not impracticable, and even impossible when man him-
self has to be the subject of experiment ; even where it is
attempted, it takes several decades to collect adequate data,
on account of the large span of each generation and of the
low rate of multiplication— compare, for example, that rabbits
multiply a million within a short period, and that still lower
366
SCIENTIFIC METHO.D
81.63
'organisms have a negligibly small span for each generation and
their fecundity too is, phenomenally high. Moreover, humane
cons,iderations prevent experimenting with the human species.
Again, the statistical calculus ' necessary for work .in
quadrants 2 and 4 were either unknown or were found -to be,
in a primitive state till about half a century ago. Karl Pear-
son/'Who died only two decades -ago, was a pioneer in forging
this calculus and fitting it for really advanced work in quad-
rants 2 and 4. Statistical calculus, operational analysis, and
other tools are being sharpened only to-day to a degree suffi-
cie.nt to take allowance for the vitiations, incidental to man
and his society being the subject of study. As a result of the
forging of such powerful tools, however, the development of
many disciplines in the domain of social sciences is becoming
progressively amenable to scientific method. Library science
is one of them. The time has come to recognise the existence
of library science as a science.
8163 Other Disciplines
To appreciate the claim of some of the social sciences of
to-day to the status of a science, it will be helpful to mention
some other disciplines, whose development is not amenable
to scientific method as outlined above. Theology is an obvious
example. In this discipline, the zenith is occupied by un-
alterable authoritative principles, often taken to be revelation.
Historically, even empirical experiences in the physical world,
going contradictory to them, were denied validity ; indeed,
history is full of instances of treating the assertion of such
empirical experiences as heresy and of the cruelty meted out
to such heretics. Here, the left half of the cycle is thrown out
of action; and there is thus no scientific spiral at ail. Exege-
tics is put to the severest strain to reconcile the authoritative
principles at the zenith and the contradicting facts at the
nadir. One of the extreme devises used in this exegetics is
known as Artha-Vada. According to this, the occurrence
of meaningless words, phrases, sentences and even para-
graphs is possible in a text. These are deemed to be un-
367
8163 : ' . FI VE LA WS OF L I B R A R Y 'S Cl EN CE
intelligible,' and ' hence' to-be-neglected/ ^^ noises;’ ' in the re-
vealed 'texts occupying the zenith." . Minmakas in Indian
philosophy , furnish outstanding examples of extreme ,fonns of
reco,nciliation of this 'kind. Christian theology also gives ex-
treme, though earnest, attempts at such forced ,reconciliatioii
of empirical facts and the Bible. E. T. Whittaker’s and
demonstrates this in a lucid way. Fine arts i,ocludiEg
literature form another domain in the universe of knowledge,
which is. not amenable to the scientific . method described
above.' The development of these subjects do not present qua-
drants 1, 2, and 4. We can only recognise quadrant 3. They
are all products of intuition with little play of intellect No
cycle of scientific method is possible in that domain. But the
discipline of art-criticism, including literary criticism and lin-
guistics, involves work in all the four quadrants; and these
are amenable to scientific method.
817 Emergence of Library Science
Unlike in theology and the fine arts, the development of
library science is fully characterised by the spiral of scientific
method. All the earlier chapters of this book demonstrate it.
They describe the typical library practices current before 1931
and corresponding to quadrant 1. They state facts of experi-
ence corresponding to the nadir. They also mention in a few
places some empirical laws derived from the facts. The five
fundamental laws seized in quadrant 3 form the normative
principles corresponding to the zenith. Quadrant 4 is well pro-
vided for by showing the then library practices as compelling
implications of these normative principles. In later sections,
some indications will be given as to how new inferences are
being made, and new library practices are explained or sug-
gested by the same normative principles, and new interpreta-
tions of their terms are being given, in the light of the changes
occurring in the boundary conditions imposed by society on
library service. The formulation of the five laws has set the
spiral of scientific method into action. This justifies deeming
library science to be a science.
368
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
82‘
' 818 Trivial Truism ,
Before; dealing ■ with these factors, a word, should be said
about the remark that the First Law — Books, are for Use — is
.a trivial truism. The first law of most of the 'sciences is equal-
ly so. For example, Newton’s first law of ' motion reads,
“.Every body preserves-in its state of -rest unless it is compell-
ed to change that state by impressed forces.” Is this not a
truism, ? Perhaps the triviality of a first law is best illustrated
by the first law of logic^ commented upon as- follows- in ' the '
New foundations of logic (1947) by K. R. Popper “The
most trivial and at the same time -the si,mp!est rule of infer-
ence is iiiidoubtediy from the statement u, the statement
^ can .'be derived,” This rule is so trivial that many classical
logicians -have hesitated to admit it. -They have-" felt that
nothing could be gained by admitting it and that the dignity
of the procedure of inference would be imperilled if this were
called an inference. S!.nce. the rule is, obviously, not invalid
we should have to admit it even if it were useless. But com.
trary to fi.rst impressions, . it is- far from being useless... It is
even characteristic, altogether, of the triviality of the fiinda-'
mental rules from which, the edifice of logic arises- We should
furtherm.ore keep in mind that- triviality of the basic- assum-
ptions is an advantage rather than a disadvantage, provided
that what we obtain at the end is adequate for our purpose...
In spite of the triviality of these rules, the concept of deriva-
biiity thus determined turns out to provide an exceedingly
powerful instrument.”
The implications of the first law have been profound, rich,
and revolutionising, as worked out in the first chapter of this
book. We shall now state some of the library-practices set
up already or to be set up in the future as implications of
the other laws.
82 Second Law and New Types of Books and Practices
Since 1 931 many new library practices have come into vogue.
These are all in conformity to the implications of the word
369
82 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE-
“ every ” in the enunciation of the second law. These implica-
tions suggest also some new practices, yet to be implemented.
Stated in general terms, the second law regards every human
being as a potential reader. Democracy should be allowed
the fullest sway in the interpretation of the second law.
821 Books for Children
“ Every ” includes children. They too are entitled to books.
But adults’ books are not suited to them. Children’s books
should cover the entire universe of knowledge in a special
key, in a distinctive style of exposition, with a high propor-
tion of illustrations, and with a physical get up of their own.
Accordingly, a special class of children’s authors and publi-
shers have come into being in some of the countries. This is
yet to happen in India. A scheme for it has been worked out
in the School and college libraries (1942).^®®
822 Books for the Abnormals
“Every” includes the blind and the cripple confined to
bed. Books are now being transformed into sound records
for the use of blind readers. Some of the public libraries of
the USA are now engaged in their production with the aid
of voluntary readers. The Library of Congress is taking a
leading part in the organisation of their production, storage,
and circulation. Ceiling books were seen by me for the first
time in the Carnegie Library in Pittsburg. A ceiling book is
a micro-film with projector equipment fit to be projected on
to the ceiling by a cripple confined to bed, with the aid of any
limb of his, such as a toe or a finger which is functioning.
823 Books FOR Artisans
“Every” includes artisans in the lowest quartile in the
intellectual scale as well as the economic scale. To make them
accept and benefit by library service, it is necessary to produce
craft-centred sets of books. Each set will have a specific craft
as the central biasing theme. The entire universe of knowledge
will be covered by the books in the set, with one book on each
370
SCIENTIFIC METHOD^ , , , , :826,
class,, or , region .of, knowledge,- written from, the angle .of , the
craft in,, .question. The need for such, craft-ce.ntred, ,,, sets , of
books, was first sensed, in Education for leisure ,(1946) and
more fully expounded in a memorandum to the Government
of India and in Social education literature (1952).*^®^ „ ■
824 Books for Neo-Literates ■ ;
Every” includes neo-iiterates. Neo-literate adults w-ill
form an abnormal percentage of the Indian community for
at least one more generation. There is need for a set of graded
books' for their use. The proportion of illustrations to letter-
press will decrease from, perhaps, 10 to 1 in the lowest grade
to perhaps 1 to 10 in the highest grade. The details of this
class of books will be found in Literature for new-Uterates^
(1953)."'^
825 Books for the Last Deciles
'fEvery ” includes also the persons of lowest ability form-
ing, say, the last ten percent in the intellectual scale. Even
craft-centred books and the books of the lowest grade for the
neo-literates will not be suited to them. They need speaking-
books. A speaking-book is a well-illustrated book written in
a specially simple style, carrying in a pouch at its end, sound-
records of the letter-press in the body of the book. Thus, a
sound-book will appeal to the reader in a triple way — through
the ear, through the eyes, and through the phonetic symbols.
The need for this class of books to satisfy the second law
was first expounded in a talk given by me in the Chaucer
House, London, before a meeting of the Library Associa-
tion in 1948.
826 Books for the Men at the Bench
"‘Every” includes the foremen and the workmen at the
bench in the factories. The current unbalancing between
population pressure and natural and near-natural commo-
dities of consumption calls for enormous productivity drive.
Rate of production and avoidance and elimination of wastage
371
826 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
of every kind ultimately depends on the foremen and the
workmen at the bench. They have to be put in possession of
the latest know-how, from time to time. But they are of the
lowest quartile in the intellectual scale and are reluctant to
pick up ideas from the printed word alone. Their interest has
first to be roused with the aid of audio-visual materials por-
traying the latest know-how. This has to be followed up by
aggressive reference service, to enable them to pick up the
exact details from books specially written up to their standard,
both in style and in the proportion and nature of illustrations.
This class of materials and books are yet to be produced in
most languages to the satisfaction of the second law.
827 Books for the Stray Specialist
“ Every ” includes the stray specialist in any subject, living
all by himself in some part of the country far away from his
peers. The second law would insist on his local library finding
his book for him. But, it may not find any other reader for
such a book for many years to come. In view of this, the
Law of Parsimony would refuse to vote money for the pur-
chase of that book. This dilemma has to be met by an
organisational device. This is inter-library loan. This implies
that all the book-resources in a country should be regarded
as a single pool. This also implies a union catalogue. But
a union catalogue involves many problems still unsolved ;
these problems are now engaging the attention of the Tfla. It
is proposed to have a series of articles on this question in
the Annals of library science?'^^
83 Third Law and Documentation
The greatest pressure on exegetics has perhaps been put by
the third law— Every Book its Reader — in its attempt to yield
all its implications in the context of the new boundary condi-
tions set by the economic pressure developing in society to-day.
Perhaps the most pressing developments in the library profes-
sion arise out of the march of library service into the economic
sphere. The world is becoming one in the econcomic sphere
372
SCIENTIFIC MET.HOD ' 831
much faster ' tliaii in tbe political sphere. The economic fnnc-
lions of library service are therefore pressing. One such func-
tion has been already referred to in Section 826. The fact is
this. For shelter, clothing, food, transport,aiidcommii!iicatioii,
natural and near-natural commodities have to be increasingly
supplemented by artificial commodities, built out of extracts'
from raw materials quite unfit and even poisonous Tor direct
consumption, by their synthesis, and by other modes of pro-
cessing. Artificial rice made out of iinthought-of plant-pro-
ducts, textile fibre like nylon got from coal and petroleum,
impregnated timber got' out of .weak wood, and re-iiiforced
concrete are obvious ■ examples ■ of artificial commodities
already brought' to use. The building of such artificial com-
modities for consumption has to be based on research. . Their
production on large scale and their prompt distribution to ail
the points ■ of consumption on the surface of the earth call
for' a iTiucli higher order of management and transport than
found sufficient hitherto. This too has to be based 'on research.
The urgency of these forms of research is such that research
cannot be left any longer to the casual appearance of a man
of genius, who pursues research spontaneously and inevitably
to satisfy his own inner urge,- unprompted by external 'neces-
sity. Nor can we afford, any delay in exploiting new inventions
and discoveries for the economic service of mankind, though
such delay had been quite common in the past. Compare, for
example, the time-lag in the exploitation of the discovery of
electricity and the rapidity with which the discoveries in
nuclear physics are being exploited to-day. Research has there-
fore to be organised consciously and so as to proceed “ in-
series,” rather than in-parailel” as in the past.
831 Plough-Back in Reseakch-in-Series
Research-in-series has many implications which force library
service to move forward rapidly in its march in the economic
sphere. In the first place, organised research has to draw its
man-power even from intellectual strata far below that of
genius. Secondly, a genius is a self-helper, not necessarily
373
831 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
depending on organised library service. On the other hand,
the persons now being pressed into research are in great need
of being fed exactly and exhaustively by library service. This
need is getting intensified every day by the very increase in
the rate of output of new thought, caused by research-in-
series all the world over. It is also intensified by the tremend-
ous amount of cross-breeding and lamination taking place in
the universe of knowledge, as a result of intensively organised
research in many sectors of knowledge. Even in one and the
same industrial house, wasteful, unintended, research-in-
parallel sets in frequently, because of inefficiency in keeping
every worker informed promptly of every new achievement
of every other worker, which may be at least partly or remo-
tely germane to the pursuit of many others. The heaps of un-
fed house-reports on many research projects in one and the
same enterprise— and eVen under one and the same roof-
form a staggering monument of costly new thought left idle,
without being ploughed back into the research-in-series which
is in progress. “ Documentation ” is the name of the new
library technique being developed for the purpose.
832 Generalisation of ‘ Book ’
There is another factor in the library service to be given
attention to in the economic sphere. Research-in-series will
not be fully helped if library service confined itself to whole
books and periodicals, as service-units. The unit of service
should be an individual article in a periodical or a section
and even a paragraph in a book. To use a jargon coined by
me, the unit of library service cannot any longer be macro
thought ; it must be nascent micro thought in the research
sphere. Efficient, prompt, pin-pointed, exhaustive service of
nascent micro thought to specialists, necessitated by the social
pressure of to-day, has now come to be called Documentation
Service. The reconciliation of this library practice with the
third law and the other laws requires a generalisation of the
denotation of the term ‘ book.’ It should hereafter be used in
the sense of Document ; its definition was attempted in the
374 "
SCIENTI'FIC METHOD
84'
•Hemlmg and' mmns 'i^^ Even this stood,' ont-moded in
the light oftheinstrament-record of pheiioiii,eiia---ii!iinediated
hy the human mind and untransformed into human thought—
gainiiig .in importance as document. This transfomiation of .
the - content of the third law and the other laws ' by exegetieal;
■.means have been discussed in detailnn my
in many lands: 4 Document^ conventional and non-comen-:
tional {1956)^ published in the Annals of library science:' :
833 Effect of Geneealisation on Classification'
The- effect of this generalisation of the term ^ book ' in the
third law has been most ' pronounced' on the ' discipline - of
library . classification. The technique of classification, was cul-
tivated in the early years for mechanising arrangement- of
books on shelves. Superficial classification of macro thought
was sufficient for this- purpose. Such a classification could
afford to be enumerative from the very start. But depth, clas-
sification is necessary if the unit of service is .micro thought.
Depth classification will have to ,be analytico-synthetic. In it,
enumeration should be confined only to some sem,inal sche-
dules and a few schedules of common isolates. Such a scheme
is now being actively investigated by the profession. The
techniques of phase, facet, and zone analysis, the concepts of
fundamental categories and postulates for classification, and
the separation of work in the idea and notational planes — all
largely initiated in India — are proving to be productive in
this investigation. An international conference was held in
England in May 1957, to quote from the official report, for
*‘the study of modem ideas on classification (which are
largely due to Ranganathan of India) and their application
to information retrieval.’’
84 FourtlrLaw and New Library Practices
The fourth law—Save the Time of the Reader— gives the
corrollary Save the Time of the Staff,” in order to turn
more hands on to reference service. This corrollary has as its
implications many practices in library service. Some of these
375
have already made a start, though they have to go a long way
to give results to the full satisfaction of the fourth law.
841 Centralised Classification AND Cataloguing
A fruitful practice gaining support is centralised classifica-
tion and cataloguing of books. These two techniques are
quite impersonal, in the sense that the class number of a book
and its catalogue entries depend largely on the book itself and
not upon the library using it. The slight extent to which they
may have to be occasionally oriented to the unusual needs of
readers of a particular class or of a particular locality is pro-
vided for by the Canon of Local Variation being applicable
to both the disciplines. In view of this, centralisation is possi-
ble in the technical preparation of books for service. It has
been shown in the Headings and canons (1955)®” that centra-
lisation will effect 79% saving in the man-power needed in the
library system of a country to prepare the home-produced
books for use. The same book shows also that a similar 79%
saving can be effected in respect of foreign books also, if each
country practises centralisation and participates in the scheme
set forth in that book for international co-operation in the
matter. The British National Bibliography is the best known
demonstration of this implication of the fourth law. Though
started only in 1950, it has already effected a considerable
saving in the British librar>' system. Its recent organisation
to print and supply catalogue cards — in most cases within
one day of the receipt of the order — is a highwater mark of
efficiency.
842 Pre-Natal Classification and Cataloguing
The fourth law has been always dissatisfied with the hold-
up of books between their receipt in the library and their
release for use, in order to classify and catalogue them. The
pre-natal classification and cataloguing of books, the release
of catalogue cards along with the release of the books them-
selves, the printing of the call numbers on the backs of the
title-pages and tooling them on the binding, and the associa-
376
84J
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
ted routine for order work, described in the Headings and
will make it possible for a library to release a book
within not more than a couple of days of its receipt. This is
a practice that has not yet come into vogue anywhere. But
during my visit to England in December 1956, Mr. Wells,
the editor of BNB, assured me that such pre-natal work was
not as impracticable as it was thought to be when it was first
expounded by me on 12 August 1948 in an address at the
Library of Congress. He does not anticipate any resistance
from publishers in their offer of co-operation, when it could
be started by him.
843 International and National Documentation
To save man-power and money, it has been found necessary
to centralise documentation work even at the international
level. But, in practice it leads to a time-lag of more than one
year. This is a serious violation of the fourth law. Therefore,
since World War II, the practice of restricted documentation
work in each national centre is being tried. The periodicals
scanned are restricted to those taken within the country. The
subjects for which they are scanned are restricted to those in
which work is being done within the country. These two res-
trictions bring down the quantity of work involved to a great
extent, at least in the newly developing countries. The advance
procurement of micro-copies of the title-pages of periodicals
by air-mail makes it possible for the national documentation
list to reach service-libraries almost simultaneously with the
arrival of the periodicals concerned. A further step should
be for the national documentation centre of each country to
do pre-natal documentation of each of the articles originating
within its territory and releasing the documentation list with
abstracts. This suggestion of the fourth law may show a way
also to make some saving in the money now being spent in
the printing of the thousands of periodicals now current. For
it may prove sufficient in the case of very specialised articles
to supply the specialists concerned dry-line copies of the
original on demand. This is a step in international and national
377
I L.s. — 24
843
FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
economyand organisation, into which it is not proper to
enter in the present context.
844 Mechanisation
Another way of saving staff-time will be to mechanise
every item of impersonal work in a library. For example, the
design of machinery for literature search has been in full
swing since World War II. A combination of facet analysis
in classification and machinery for search— beginning from
punched cards and going to magnetic tape — will save the time
of the reader directly also. So it will be with the electronic
and other mechanical methods of charging and discharging
work. Ralph Shaw’*^^ has mechanised other kinds of library
routine considerably with the aid of photography. This indi-
cates the long vista of work to be done in response to the
fourth law. But most of the work falls within the province of
technologists and managerial experts. The library profession
can only state the requirements and indicate the areas where
mechanisation will prove useful and also harmless. This prob-
lem has seen set forth in detail in Ranganathan’s Mechanisa-
tion of library service^^^ presented to the First Conference of
the Indian Association for Special Libraries and Information
Centres, held in Calcutta in 1956.
85 Fifth Law and Its Diverse Imports
In 1931, the fifth law— Library is a growing organism —
was interpreted only in one sense. Chapter 7 of this book
brings out the implications of “ growth ” only in the sense of
“ Child-Growth ’’—that is, growth involving steady increase
in over-all size. But the term holds also another sense. It is
“Adult-Growth — that is growth by replacement of constituents
without increase in over-all size. The double import of the fifth
law leads to an important principle in the organisation of a
national library system. Two types of libraries are to be re-
cognised, viz., conserving library and service library. This
distinction was seen and applied consciously- for the first time
only in the library book selection (1953).'“'*
378
S C 1 E T I. FI. € M E T HOD
852
851 Conserving Library ,
III' view of the continuous demand of a conserving library
for additional buildiiigj shelves, and maintenance cliarges,
econoixiy would suggest a limit to the number of such libraries . ^
in a country. The National Central Library should' be a con-
serving library; and it may prove. sufficient in a country with:
':a small area. Even in a country with a large area, ' their .
number need not exceed half a dozen. There can be no useful
purpose except that of local prestige in maintaining two such
libraries within sixty miles of each other as in Scotland, ' In a
polyglot' country like India,- it will be necessary to have also
a State Central Library . in -each constituent state for con-
serving copies of the publications in the state. A City or a Dis-
trict Central Library or any other service library such as - a
University Library- should -not be entrusted with conserving
wo:rk except in the case of strictly local collections. When a
country decides to have additional conserving national li-
braries— India has decided upon having three additional ones
— it may be economical to have some or all of them in micro
films. It may be further wise to have one of them located, in
a deep underground vault beyond the reach of nuclear van-
dalism such as the one on Hiroshima. The model library acts
given in the Library development plan (1950) have provided
for most of the above points ; but, it needs amendment about
the micro film deposits ; or perhaps they may be left to the
rule-making powers.
852 Service Library
A service library will admit of a ceiling in regard to the
number of volumes, the number of readers, and the strength
of the staff, and therefore of the building and fittings. The
annual accession and v/eeding out, because of wearing out by
use or of getting outmoded, will ultimately balance each
other. But, it will be the duty of each service library to notify
the conserving library concerned of all the items to be weeded
out, so that the latter may' take action on the salvage and
379
852
FIVE L^WS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
conservation of a few representative copies of each book. A
“0 ‘"r fr
national level. This implication of the second mpoit of the
fifth law shows that the Quincy Plan mentioned m Section 7 1 1
of this book is not inconsistent with the fifth law, as it was
assumed when only its first import was known.
853 Species Formation, a Third Import
A third' import of the fifth law is phylogenesis, as distinct
from ontogenesis. This third import emphasBes and explains
the formation of specialised libraries specialising m particu-
lar functions. Till now specialisation on the basis of classes
of special readers has been observed. This has been elabor-
ately dealt with in the Preface to library science^'
fictions may get elaborated, while others may be dropped
or thinned out in some species. The relative weight betweon
Inservation and service found in conserving hbranes and
service libraries is itself an instance. Among service hbranes,
the relative weight between macro documents and micro docu-
ments found in libraries, for the generalist and for the specia-
list is another instance in point. Examples of this kind can
be multiplied. The perceptible difference m the ceding for size
between one class of service Ubraries and another is analogous
to a similar phenomenon in different phylums in nature.
This third import of the third law was focussed on the cons-
ciOTS level by Dr. Martin Mullerott of the Bavarian State
Library during an excursion arranged for the delegates of the
Ifla Conference at Munich in September 1956.
854 A Fourth Import
Dr Mullerott brought up also a fourth import of the fifth
law it arises out of a fourth attribute of growth seen m a
social organism. This is best seen in a human family whmh
divides into separate and yet closely related sub-families. for
Lvenience of living and development. Analopusly,
monolithic libraries of the past wUl have to give ^
separate and yet closely related libraries, for facilitating effi-
380
SCIENTIFIC METHOD'
86
ckmy of service, in the' changing conditions of society' and'
df ' the social pressure on library service. This Idea needS;,
: further pnrsBit.
855 Farmington Plan
The Farmington Plan, formulated in USA about a decade
ago is a step in^ the reconciliation of these four imports of
the 'fifth law. It is a new experiment in the formation of a
new species of libraries ' with a considerable service fiiiiction
and with conserving function midway between those of a
'National Central Library and a normal City or District Central
Library. ■ ,
856 Growth of Class Index Entries
To illustrate the incidence of the light of the fifth 'law even
on the details concerning a library, mention may be made, of
class index libraries in a library catalogue. The gamma function
rate at which they will grow, if entries are made for each of
the possible permutations of the terms forming the headings
and subheadings, was - brought out for the first time in the
Theory of library catalogue.^^^ This led to the invention ' of
Chain , Procedure in order - to prevent such general entries
almost occulting the substantive book entries in the catalogue
of a library. This has been, pointedly elaborated in the Classi-
fication^ codings and machinery for search (1950).^®® The chain
procedure is being applied on a large scale in the BNB ever
since it started in 1950. Its editor has stated, in his contri-
bution to Library science in India (1953),^'^® ‘"The alphabetic
part of the British National Bibliography, like the systematic
part, owes its success to the theories of Ranganathan on which
it is built.” The theory of chain procedure has been due to the
warning of the fifth law.
86 Branches of Library Science
Several of the branches of library science are seen to cohere,
when they are viewed in the light of the five laws. Further,
the development of some' of ' them has itself already entered ,
381
86':
FI'VE L:A'W''S of LIB.RARY -SeiENC.E. ■ ,
into the .spiral of. scientific ^ method. The /driving force in. them
is supplied, by canons, specific to each bra.nch ' and; derived ■
from the five laws and certain general laws regulating work in
any field, such, as the Law of Parsimony and the. Law ^of
Impartiality. The integral quality of the entire dornain, with
the focus on the Five Laws at the zenith of the . spiral of sci-
entific method, is vvell reflected in the family of about four
dozen books of mine. The ancestor of this family is the Five
laws of library science (1931).^^"'' All the_books foim a single
unit. .Indeed they are like chapters of onC' huge book. They
satisfy the test of , the Ekavakyata Principle of Mimamsa sas-
tra^ the science of exegitics. ' ' ■
861 Classification
Classification was the first branch to be taken through' the
first two quadrants. This pioneering work, was done by
W C Berwick Sayers in 1918. By a comparative^ study and
collation of the then known schemes of classification, he for-
mulated a set of canons of classification. Henry Evelyn Bliss
made some valuable contribution to the subject. The Colon
Classification came later. Taking its new features also into
consideration and utilising the guiding light of the five laws,
the canons were amplified in the Prolegomena to library
classification (1937).''« They number 33 in edition 2 published
in 1957. The Elements of library classification (1945)'^''' for-
mulated the principles by which the Cannon of Helpful
Sequence can be satisfied. The Library classification'. Funda-
mentals and procedure (1944)“^^ developed the concepts of fun-
damental categories, phase analysis, and facet analysis. These
have since been amplified by zone analysis and are being
studied in detail under the auspices of FID/CA, the Com-
mittee on General Theory of Classification, set up by the
International Federation for Documentation, and of the
Ciassification Research Group of Great Britain. The work
done so far has stimulated the convening of an Internationa!
Study Conference on Ciassification for Information Retiieval
in England from 13 to 17 May 1957 In a letter of 20 Dec
382
SCI'ENTIFIC. METHOP
863
1956' addressed by the ■conveners to the IiisdoCj, .the following:
passage occurs, This .Conference will be - a devddpiheiit of '-
,al! Dr» .Ranganathan’s work, in the^ last twenty years and it.
'will mo doubt be a means of spreading interest in .his work and
-appreciation of it.. Jt is essential that theladian Goveriime.iit
should receive notice of the Conference.®’ A significant import
of this Conference is that classification has reached maturity
as a branch science of library science, in which the spiral of
scientific method is being actively pursued.
862 Cataloguing
Cataloguing is perhaps the 'latest branch to follow the
spiral of scientific method in its development. For, it had
all along been treated as a riile“Of-thiiinb affair. And ,a
catalogue code continued to be an incoherent bundle of rules.
The pioneer code to originate. from, the- third quadrant was
the by Cutter (1876). Two later codes shaped in the
light of the five laws were the Classified catalogue code
(1934)^®^ and the Dictionary catalogue code (1945).'*“®^ The first
attempt to base cataloguing on a set of canons, in conformity
to the five laws, was made in the Theory of library catalogue
(1938).^^^ This 'was based on Cutter, the first of the codes
mentioned above, and the Anglo-American Code.'^^*^ A more
systematic study, corresponding to quadrants 2 and 4 of the
spiral of scientific method, was made in the Heading and
canons (1955).*'^^^ An application of the objective scientific
method will be found in the comparison of the classified and
dictionary catalogues found in the Library catalogue : Funda-
mentals and procedure (1950).®'’''^ In 1954, the International
Federation of Library Associations entered on the pursuit of
cataloguing rules. It is an appeal to that body that it should
go beyond the work corresponding to quadrant 2, use the
light of the five laws and the canons, and enter into work
corresponding to quadrant 4.
863 Reference Service
Reference service is the primary motive and the culmina-
383
863. .. FIVE .X,AWS-' OF ■■I.I/BRAE.Y. SCIE^N ^
tioii of all library practices/' Its; varieties, the :W . why, and
how of them, the preparation for theni,
bibliographical and reference materials needed for their effi-
cient performance,., .and , the organisation of the time of .the
staff in re.Iatioii to. them — all these are drawn' out. of . .the fi.ve
laws in the Reference service and bibliography ( 1940);"®’'
864 Library Administration . .
To fulfill the exacting demands of the five laws in general
and the corollary of the fourth law .in particular, with due
"regard to , economy in time, 'money, and man-power, attention
' Was tinned to library administration and to its rationalisation.
Here again, the light from the five laws was of immense help.
This will be seen from the Library administration (1935),®’’’
In his thesis for the Fellowship of the (British)' Library Asso-
elation C.A, Crossley®'^’ remarks that '' It forms an essay
which any librarian . who dreams of administrating his own
system can profit by reading, and received warm commenda-
tion from experts in management on its appearance.'’ What'-
ever merit it has is derived from the normative quality of the
five laws. This is a branch that needs much more of cultiva-
tion along scientific lines. Further work of this' kind was
started in the pages of Xht Ahgild^^^ and its successor the
Annals of library science^'*^ by the collection of empirical data
on library man-power. S. Ramabhadran has left the work in
the middle. But it is worth being pursued and completed.
865 Book Production
Physical bibliography comprehends paper-making, printing,
and binding, expounded from the angle of the needs of the
library profession. But this had been taught in the past in a
way not different from the one suited to the technicians in
these different arts. Its teaching is not iofrequentely left to
the care of the technicians themselves. This had always been
revolting to the students of library science. But a method of
humanising these subjects and processing it to meet the exact
needs of the library profession was made possible, only after
384 '
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
867
the five laws could be used. as probes. The tesitli of this pro-
bing' has been embodied in Xht Social hihlmgmphy (1952)/^^“
Its first five chapters, explore respectively the implications ' of
each of the laws in the field' of physical bibliography * .No
less ' is the message of the five laws to the authors and 'artists
who have to create the thought of the book and' carry out its
exposition. The implications of the five laws in these, aspects
of book-science have been recorded in the Social education
literature (1952).''^®^ Further details in one sector , of this
subject will be found in the Literature for neo-literates
(1953).^®'
866 Book-Selechon
The' very first question raised by the students in the very
first school of ' librarianship visited in my tour of Great .Bri-
tain in December 1956 was born of the despair felt in learn-
ing book-selection. The question was, Is it possible to
derive the principles of .book-selection from the five laws’h
This work on book-selection, corresponding to quadrant 4 of
the spiral of scientific method, has been done in Library book
selection (1952).''^^^ The very headings of its cliapters read
“ First Law and Book Selection etc up to “ Conflict of
Laws.’"
867 Library Organisation
The need for linking up all the libraries in a country into
a national library grid is a compelling conclusion arising out
of an attempt to resolve the conflict between the financial re-
sources and the five laws, and the conflict among the laws
themselves. The details in the structure of a national library
system, the enumeration of the functions of the national
central library, its corresponding departments, the functions
and structure of the libraries of all other grades, and the out-
line for the legislation on which the national library system
should be based, are all deducible systematically from the
five laws. This work corresponding to quadrant 4 has been
demonstrated in the Library development plan (1950),“'''' LI
385
867
FrVE.'LAWS' OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
brary^..:legislatwn: A handbook to the Madras^. Library' Act
(1953)/*^^ :aiid' ' similar books for the constituent states of
Bombay (1947)^^^ and Uttar Pradesh (1949)“^^^ and for the
Allahabad ' University Library (1947).^'^ The library develop-
inent plans for the. University of Delhi (1942), the State of "
Madhya Pradesh (1945), the State of Travancore (1946), the
State of Cochin (1946),'the State of Madras (1946), the Uni-
versity of Nagpur (1946), the Forest Research Institute, Delira
dun (1947), the ■ Institute of Science, Bangalore (1947), the
University of Mysore (1947), the University of Bombay (1948),,
the City of Jaffna, Ceylon (1953) and the Secretariate of the
Hyderabad Government (1954), could all be done systemati-
cally and without much effort only on account of the deduc-
tions furnished by the five laws, corresponding to quadrant 4
of the spiral of scientific method and subject to the boundary
conditions imposed by the factors prevailing in the respective
host-bodies.
868 Popular Epitome
A brief popular epitome of all the implications of the
Five Laws at the public library level, in a style suited to serve
as an easy handbook for the day-to-day use of librarians ad-
ministeringand serving in small libraries was published as the
Library manual {\95\Y^'Lm English and as the Granthalaya-
prakriya (1951)"'^^ in Hindi. The technical terms used in the
latter were selected or coined in consultation with a number
of old students with different languages as their respective
mother-tongues, and in conformity with Ranganathaii’s
Canons of terminology‘s"^ worked out for this purpose.
87 Teaching and Research
Perhaps the most far-reaching effect of the potency of the
entrance of the development of library science into the
spiral of scientific method will be seen in due course
in the areas of teaching and research in the field of that
discipline. These two areas are well known to feed on
each other. The glow of contact with growing minds lights
386
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
8711
lip the path of research in unexpected ways; Reciprocally the
: experience of active participation of the teacher in ' research
work endows' the teaching with a .high quality of elevation,
inspiration, and suggestion. The five laws form the common'
directing factor in teaching as well as research. They have
humanised teaching and systematised research, .
,871 Versatility in Teaching' Technique
The spiral of scientific method makes teaching technique
more versatile than it was in- the past. It makes it possible for
the needs of different levels of learners to be met with equal
efficiency without undue strain. ' It is possible to begin with
the concrete and reach the abstract, 'to suit tliC' lowest level
of learners. In : other words, 'teaching can begin in their case
with the experiences and the facts' ccrresponding to' quadrant
I and the nadir, and then proceed to help the learners to tra-
verse quadrant 2 and get a- glimpse of the unifying five laws
corresponding to the zenith. At the other extreme; it is equaliy
possible to begin with the ■ abstract five laws and deduce
the concrete practices in a coherent way. In other words,
teaching can begin in the case of disciplined learners with the
five laws corresponding to the zenith, logically work out their
implications in ' the for library practices, thus traverse
quadrant' 4, get them verified by actual practical work and
observation, and thus traverse quadrant L Teaching can also
follow any path intermediate between these extremes. These
points are being covered in detail in a series of articles on
the Trammg in library scfence.^^^ There is scope for a full-
fledged book on the subject.
8711 Lifting of the Tone of Teaching
As a consequence of library science having picked up the
cyclic attribute of a science, there is no more need to teach
any branch of it as a bundle of skills, as it was done in the
past, and, alas, is still being done in 'some schools. There is no
particular virtue any longer in picking out unshaven lads and
engaging them as juniors at five shillings a week to train them
387
871!
F,rVE L A WS OF-':LIBRAR.Y . S€IEN CE ,,
as apprentices and discharge ' them into, other //libraries when
they come of age. 'The;transition from' the pre-war appren-
ticeship method , of preparing for the professional examiiiation
to the modern method of learning the subject as a system of
science, after coming of age and completing a general course
of ediication, is still in , process in many places. I have
always enjoyed the sense of relief and joy felt by students when
they: experience a lesson in library science conducted as for
systematic sc'ience. The speed ,of learning becomes great and
the comfort in learning .becomes greater still. The teachers
too feel similarly . This long experience of mine as a teacher
■was pleasa'ntly confirmed both by the teachers and the taught
wiieii I visited the library schools in Great Britain . during
December' 1956 and gave a few lessons in each of them. But
I could also sense a feeling of handicap and frustration cover-
ing the students as well as some of the teachers, caused by the
weight of out-moded curriculum and the perpetuation of
cram methods imposed by the put-moded types of questions
figuring in some of the examination papers. The reason for
this seems to be that neither curriculum, nor the syllabus, nor
the question papers have the benefit of the health-giving
nascence born out of actual teaching work. The courses
seem to be controlled largely by those who have never taught
and had not even had the benefit of having learned the sub-
ject in a school, not to speak of having learnt it as a system
of science. Lifting the tone of teaching library science thus
suffers from the usual evils of a vicious circle.
8712 Outlook of the New Generation
I have, however, every confidence that the vicious circle
wilt soon be inevitably cut. This confidence is based on the
unmistakable change in the outlook of the new generation
of students and teachers alike. This change will get increas-
ingly pronounced as and when those who had gone through
the new schools become themselves teachers. Here is an ex-
perience confirming this view. When I started my visit to the
schools, I was warned that I should not presume a knowledge,
388
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
8713
OH; the part of the students,, of the five laws, or facet analysis,
or xhain procedure ; and I also" verified that ^ these ideas did
not find.. a place in' the syllabus. B'ut' to iny surprise,, the ^
students ■ of all the schools were not only familiar with these
ideas,, but invariably asked me To demonstrate ' some, of 'the
advanced applications ! This- showed two things.' The. teach-'
ers.: have found it usefulTo teach them; and this implied' that
they preferred to teach the subject as a system of science.
The students feel more at home with the higher tone which
this way. of teaching gives to their own comprehension of the
highways and byways of the subject. This treed in the new
generation cannot be curbed for long.
8713 No Avoidance of Grind
: This does not mean that teaching library science as a system
of science will eliminate all grind and make the path of learn-
ing a path of roses. In getting trained for work in libraries,
there are many tasks of experience, observation, and familia-
risation with the world of books in general and with the
structure and idiosyncracies- of reference books and bibliogra-
phical tools in particular. No student can evade these and
these are no less exacting than the tasks in the training for
any other profession or in the learning of any other science.
The advantage of utilising the versatility in the method of
teaching born out of the spiral of scientific method having
taken library science into itself, is of a different kind, in res-
pect of grind. It throws a leaven on the matter. The five laws
dower the tasks with a charm. They enable the students, living
through the tasks with a purposeful cheer. Tutorial discussion,
based on the experience picked up by the individual perfor-
mance of the tasks done with such a purposeful cheer and
irradiated by the five laws, becomes illuminating. The occa-
sional summing-up-Iectures, — tying up all the experience,
gathered during individually done tasks, on to the five laws
and the canons, and indicating further lines of pursuit arising
out of them— gain considerably in inspirational value.
8714;. V'fjV'E-law of library science .
: / '^ 87!'4' 'Experie^^^^^ of Teaching the Subject as a Science
, ;AIl thk^^^ mere theoretical talk. It is based on thirty
years of teaching library science. What is more, this experience
has been well, compared with the teaching of mathematics
and physics at different levels during the seven years preceding
that ' period.' The following books have grown out ' of that
experience:—
J. , Library classification : Fundamentals and procedure with
. 1 ,008 graded examples and exercises (1944).®^®
2. Elements of library classification (1945)."^^ •
3. Theory of library catalogue (1938).^"^
4. Library catalogue : Fundamentals and procedure with
306 graded examples and exercises (1950).''^^®
5. Reference service and bibliography (1940).^'^^
6. Library book selection (1952).^*^
7. Social bibliography : Physical bibliography for librari-
ans, authors and publishers (1952).'^*^°
These are all based on actual day-to-day work in the class-
room. A perusal of them will show how the five laws torn up
at every corner to cheer up and guide the teacher as well
as the students. The aroma of the five laws will be experi-
enced in every book. The coherent and comfortable way
in which each subject gets spun out by the omnipresent
five laws cannot be missed. S Das Gupta has experienced
this both as a student and as a teacher. On his return from
a library tour of U S A in 1955, he looked back on the standard
of teaching of library science reached in the pioneer school of
librarianship in India and wrote in the Annals of library
science,-'''^ 3, 1956, 104. ^‘ Dr:S- R Ranganathan had turned
library education into an intellectual discipline and lifted it
above the level of simple skills/'' His tracing the result to m.e
is really in the measure of ■ his "affection for me. It should
really be traced to the fact that the spiral of scientific method
has already seized library science, has disclosed the five laws,
and has made possible systematic experiment, observation,
induction of empirical laws, and deduction of every possible
390
SCIENTIFIC-METHOD
872
library practice and technique— past, . present, and future—
.'possible in library science as' in any other inteliectual disci-
pline in the domain of -science, and that that spiral has' vita-
lised teaching.''
8715 A Peer among Scientific -Disciplines
Recognition of library science as a science and the teaching ,
of it as a science easily earns for the subject a place equal to
any traditional discipline prevailing in universities, such as law,
economics, political science, or any of the biological or phy-
sical sciences. A course in library science, conducted along
the lines made possible by the completion of a full cycle of
scientific method in its development, secures for the student
every general benefit in clear and analytical thinking as any
other discipline does. It fits the student to sail on his own
steam, not merely in the performance of repetitive work, but
also in facing new situations and in contributing to the further
development of the subject itself. Teaching some of the
branches like classification, cataloguing, reference service, and
organisation, on the basis of the five laws and the speci ic
canons appropriate to each branch, gives a student of library
science an unusual insight into the structure and the trend in
the development of many domains in the universe of know-
ledge. The discipline and power of thinking earned by a
student of library science makes him a peer of the student of
any other discipline. Indeed the development of library
science as a science in the class-room, with a structure and
character of its own, makes it truly a peer among the other
disciplines, old and new, found in a university course.
872 Research in Library Science
During the last one century, a few outstanding men of
genius had ploughed the field of library science almost in
solitude. This has been spasmodic. Occasionally, there has
also been some group work. Wyndham Hulme told me in
1948 some anecdotes about the attempt at research in library
matters at the beginning of the present century. He was then
391
872 FIVE LAWS OF -L-rBR-ARy SCIENCE
librarian of the Patent Office London . James Duff Brown
was a public librarian. These two were men with an inner
urge for research. They had strayed into the library profession'.
Their personality attracted a few more towards the re-think-
ing of library techniques. Public opinion was then too cynical
to tolerate talk about research, in library technique,' If was so
even among the public of librarians ! In deference to this
cynicism, the Hiilme-Brown associates could only circulate
their findings' secretly ’’ among themselves. They named
tiieir formation '^■fAnonymous Society,’’ Those days are now
fortunately 'gone.
8721 Systematic Research
But -no subject can grow- fast enough if it depended only
on casual work by few exceptional men. Research ought to
be systematic and properly organised, if it is to meet the prac-
tical demands in, the life of to-day. Apart from freedom
from fear of ridicule, the pursuit of library science admits of
systematic research, ' since its development has e,iitered the
spiral of scientific method. Mathematical tools of new kinds
are being forged to-day formsein quadrants 2 and 4 of the
cycle in the development of social sciences. Some areas of li-
brary science are amenable for study with the aid of such
tools. Operational analysis, for example, can be put to a con-
siderable use in a reliable study of problems in library
administration and organisation, which have been hitherto
exposed to the hazards of individual flair and irrational
dogmatisation. A few simple problems in classification and
cataloguing had been wasting the energy of the ali-too-few
brains available within the profession for original thinking. The
fixing of the most helpful sequence of the main classes was
one such problem. The alternative renderings of a multi-
termed subject-heading was another. These have now been
once for all set at rest with the aid of elementary algebra, in
the Classificatmn and commmicaiion^^*^ and the Theory of li-
brary catalogue A couple of years ago, the Library Research
Circle of Delhi was able to settle the criteria for choice be-
392
8723
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
tween octave notation and group notation for a given universe
of isolates, with the aid of a transcendental equation. Though
this equation does not admit of a formal general solution,
it easily yields particular solutions, which are sufficient for
our purpose. A detailed account of this will appear in the
forthcoming second edition of the Prolegomena to library
classification Another example. Classification can be viewed
as a transformation of a space of many dimensions into a
space of one dimension. This is exactly similar to the problem
of Linear Programming, which is being studied in connection
with the newly evolving science of management. Many of the
results set forth in this branch of mathematics—e.g., those in
the Introduction to linear programming'^*'^ — should be of value
to the classificationist.
8722 Librametry
With such a vast range of possibilites in view, I coined the
terin “Librametry ” in the course of a talk before the Aslib
Conference of 1948 at Leamington Spa. This is on the ana-
logy of the terms such as Biometry, Psychometry, and Eco-
nometry. It is well-known how application of mathematics to
the subjects concerned has itself led to the forging and
sharpening of the exact mathematical tools needed in those
subjects. Some tools designed for one subject may be appli-
rable to other subjects also. This type of tools has been grow-
ing in number only during the last few decades. The develop-
ment of such tools has accelerated the growth of the subjects
concerned. Problems which were beyond the reach of objective
pursuit have now been brought under precise control. There
is no reason why the pursuit of library science with the aid of
librametry should not lead us to equally happy results with
certitude.
8723 Chain of Unsolved Problems
There is no fear of the field being soon exhausted of pro-
blems needing investigation. On the other hand, pursuit of
library science during the last few years along scientific lines
393
I..S.— 25
8723 FIVE LAWS OF- LIBRARY SCIENCE
' ha's disci^ of a, never-ending chain of un-
solved probleiiis. The solution of one set of problems and the
'sharpening' of a technique reveal a host of new problems lying
'hidden hitherto under the problems solved. For example, 1 1
the - first edition of the Prolegomena a few unsolved
problems were listed. Many of them have since been solved.
But, these , have revealed new problems. The number of new
unsolved problems listed in the second edition (1957) contains
;45 items. So it is with the list of unsolved problems in
-cataloguing. There- is also -another source which will supply
new problems for pursuit. That is the change in the boundary
•conditions set by changing social values and demands. This
is a never-ending phenomenon. Therefore there can be no, end
to the problems that turn up for systematic research in library
.science.
873 Organisation for Research
Society at large is becoming sensitive to the need for setting
up permanent organisations for research in library science.
We see much evidence of this in USA. Business concerns
feel the need for this research much more than anybody else.
The Defence Department feels the need much more than the
Civil Departments. But, the sensitiveness to this need is
spreading rapidly among others too. Some Foundations have
already established endowed chairs for research in library
science. The Graduate School of Library Science in the
University of Chicago, the School of Library Science in the
Western Reserve University in Cleveland, and the Graduate
School of Library Science in the Rutgers University in Mew
Brunswick are examples. A great forward step was taken by
the Ford Foundation on 18 September 1956 by setting apart
five million dollars to found the Council on Library Resour-
ces Inc., to support research in library science. Dr. Verner
Clapp, who had been working in the Library of Congress for
33 years, has become its first: President. Sir Maurice Gwyer,
formely Chief Justice of India and Vice-Chancellor of the
University of Delhi, was the first person in India to have the
394
SeiEN.TIF.IC METHOD
87,4*
vision of the economic value, apart from the intellectual one,; ,
of setting up an. organisation' for research in library science'
in India. He opened a Department, of Library Science for thC' ,
purpose in the University of Delhi. But, after him, there has
not' been a sufficient appreciation of „its value. However,, a „
new organisation for research in library science has been
stimulated by a private endowment to the University of :
Madras. It is coming into existence in 1957. The scope for
such a Research Institute for Library Science and some of
the other problems connected with it can be seen from the
extracts given in the succeeding sections from a series of
memoranda sent by me to that university on the subject.
874 Specialisation of Workers and Sectors
FOR Research
1 The functions of the professor should be to conduct re-
search, to guide others in research, and to teach the MLibSc
(Master of Library Science) class. The functions of the readers
and the lecturers should be to conduct research and to teach
both the MLibSe and the BLibSc classes. Exchange of
teachers with other countries •for short periods should be
arranged at suitable intervals. Research students should be
attached to each teacher.
2 As Far as possible, the teachers should specialise in
different regions of the subject. For the time being, this should
be arranged informally. It will take some years before we
shall be able to earmark particular posts for particular sub-
jects in a formal way. Some of the major regions that may
be recognised for this purpose for the time being are —
21 Classification, including general theory and the design-
ing of depth classification ;
22 Catalogue, including general theory, construction of
documentation lists and abstracting periodicals, and catalo-
guing of non-conventional documents ;
23 Machinery for literature-search and other kinds of
mechanisation in library work
395
874 FI.,VE LAW'S OF LlBK'AR'Y. SCI,E:NCE
24 NalionM., library system, 'including comparativeJibrary
legislation and other problems' in organisation and administra--
lion; and .
^^-25' Reference service, including book-science and 'stand-
ards and readability' for different intellectual strata, degrees
.of^literacy^ and age-groL^^^^ ■
■ 3. The ' staff should be^ provided facilities for field-work in
their respective. regions of specialisation. 'Here is an illlls^ra-
tioil:■—
31 Those 'specia'iising in the first three of the regions
mentioned above should spend short periods, ' from time to
time, ' in observing industrial processes- and studying the docu-
mentation needs of workers in institutes devoted to industrial
or fundamental research in the natural and the social sciences
including the' work of departments of administration. '
32 Those specialising in the - last two of the regions men-
tioned above should do field-work in' public libraries and
academic libraries. They should also work with and observe'
neo-literates of various grades.
33 Those specialising in depth -classification should work
in close contact with the departments of the university in the
conventional subjects of research.
4 There should be a periodical ' exchange between , the'
teachers of library science and practising librarians in indus-
trial, academic, and public libraries. This is essential to make
the research of the department of. value to the community. -
5 The sectors for research are .implicit , in the- list of reg.ions-
for specialisation. ■ '
875 Relateon with Industries". and other ■
Organisation
8751 Industries
Steps should be taken to _associate ' the " ind'u'stries-' in'. ' the
country with the work of the Institute of ' Library Science,
Industries should be persuaded to utilise its service in the
matter of documentation. The Institute should take up special
SCIENTIFJC- METHOB
8753
projects ;of research in consultation with the industries. .Apical
industrial .B.rganisatioos such .as Textile 'Research. Iiistitotes,
Chambers of Commerce and similar state and national organi-;
sations, and even large industrial houses, like the Tatas,
sliould.be persuaded to ma.intain research .studentships ..and
fellowships in the Institute, either to pursue specific problems
proposed by them or to do fundamental research. The Insti-'
tute should seize problems arising in the day-to-day work of
practising documentalists. For this., it should be in close touch
with the factories, industrial research institutes, and depart-
ments of administration.
8752 Insdoc
The Insdoc should be used as an extra-mural laboratory
for depth classification. This will' lead to reciprocal advan-'
tage. It is difficult for the same man to bring. out the weekly
documentation lists and at the same time sit back now and
then to think over the fundamentals of the documentation
work to solve the problems arising from time to time. He
can only spot out the fundamental problems needing investi-
gation. The investigation itself should be left to the care of
the research staff of the Institute, For the same reason, the
Institute itself should not take up the work of producing
documentation lists.
8753 Indian Standards Institution
The advantages of standardisation are now universally re-
cognised. The Indian Standards Institution can only provide
the forum for standardisation. The preliminary draft standard
on any matter should be put up by the practitioners concerned.
All the investigations, experiments, and studies on which the
draft should be based are also the concern of the practitioners.
The standards body takes up the matter only after this stage.
It then arranges to convene meetings to consider the draft,
collects opinions, consolidates them for consideration at a
meeting, and finally publishes the established standard. The
Institute should take a leading part in the establishment of
397
8753 ' FIVE. tA WS SCIENCE V
standards Oil all; pertaining to library science;' and
practice, and to bring them np-to-date periodically. ;
Relation with State and National'
Bibliographies
;The State Central Library and theNational Central Library'
where the State and the National Bibliographies are prepared,
should' be used as extra-mural laboratories for problems in.
cataloguing. The book-trade will be, consciously or iinconsci-
. ousiy, introducing changes in. physical bibliography. Some of
them may t,raiiscend the capacity of the current catalogue
code, in spite of the full use of exegetics in interpreting the
rules. The need for new rules should be established and new
rules should be framed by the Institute. Again there is a
constant decrease in the extension and a corresponding
increase in the intension of the books and other documents
being produced, as a result of research out-put. This creates
new problems for investigation in the construction of subject
headings, by chain procedure or by other methods suited to
retrieval. Without the stimulus of facing real occurrences in
the world of books, research in cataloguing cannot make
much progress. Apart from the ever-recurring problems,
which the State and national central bibliographies will bring
to notice from time to time, there is also the immediate pro-
blem of the study of the structure of names in the different
parts of India and the framing of fool-proof rules for
rendering them in cataloguing headings. In this work also, the
libraries mentioned above will serve as laboratories.
877 Status and Salary Scale
Casual, discontinuous research and teaching will be possi-
ble in library science, as in any other subject, even in the
absence of the profession being vouchsafed an attractive
status and salary scale. For, sheer, inexorable, inner force
will push an exceptional man of genius into them. Salary and
status are not necessary either to lure him into the work or
398
SCIENTIFIC METHOD ' 8771;
to retain him in it. Even if they fall on Mm unsought, they
sit on him quite lightly. . The pioneer librarian, MeMi Dewey,
was such a man of genius. Sheer inner force led him to lay
■the foundations for library science. He even left a salaried
position prematurely, when lesser men turned envy, and jea-
lousy on him. In his lectures in' the University of Madras in
1928, Sir C 'V Raman told , the story of a young man . 'who
later became a renowned physicist. The young man travelled;
with his family all the way to Calcutta, a distance of mofe
than a thousand miles from his home and lived there in a
hovel on a pittance of not more than Rs. 40 a month. When
the mathematical genius, S Ramanujan, was offered, a salary
of Rs. 500 a month by the University of Madras when he
was still living in a nursing home in England fighting
tuberculosis, he wrote back, feel that. ..the total amount
of money to which I shall be entitled will be much more
than I shall require. I should hope that... £50 a year will
be paid to my parents and that the surplus, after my
necessary expenses are met, should be used for some
educational purpose, such in particular, as the reduction of
school fees for poor boys and orphans and provision of
books in schools.’’®^^ But systematic, continuous research and
high order of teaching will be possible in library science, as
in any other subject, only if the profession is vouchsafed an
attractive status and salary scale. Then only can a research
team, which will have to include many men quite able but
without the inexorable urge of a genius, be formed and main-
tained without break.
8771 Practising Librarian
In USA the profession of practising librarians is already
having a good status and salary scale. In Great Britain, the
Library Association is exercising a great vigilance over the
status and salary scale of every library post in the country,
as the pages of the Library Association record show. In the
other countries of the West too, conditions are steadily impro-
ving. But it is not yet so in India. The University of Madras
399
#
■8771 FIVE LAWS OF -XIBRARY SCIENCE. •
was the first body to create a- 'library, post, with: an attractive
■status and salary scale. For .many years, it was the only . one
of the kind, ..barring the post of the libra,riaii of, the Imperiai
Library , which .was, originally intended for a foreigii-boiMi. By
per sonai influence, it was possible to lift the post' of the lib-
rarian in two other .universities to- a slightly higher level ; but
regression' soo,n set in by the accident of the first inciiiiibeD,t
with the higher salary having proved to be of no worth or
even of loyalty to the pro.fession’s ideals. After much corres™
ponde.nce5 it was possible to persuade the Pay Commission of
1946 to, give a proper' status and salary sca,le to the librarians
•employed by the Government of India. After years of per-,
■suasion, five more universities have done justice to their
library posts. There are 27 universities stilt keeping out. The
situation is even worse in public libraries. The Madras Lib-
rary Associatio,n succeeded in 1929 .to secure a proper status
■and salary scale for the post of the' librarian of the Coniiemera
Public Library. But no further progress has yet been possible.
In spite of the Public Library Act, the District Librarians of
the States of Madras and Andhra Pradesh are kept only on
a miserable scale of salary. Their miserly status prevents the
Government from making them Secretaries of the District
Library Authorities and the District Educational Officers are
asked to function as Secretaries ! The following Memomndunf'*^'
-extracted from the Report for 1955 of the Madras Library
Association will show the struggle still going on In the matter.
On 9 April 1955, Dr S R Ranganathan had a discussion
with the Hon’ble Sri C Subramaniam, Minister for Finance
and Education, on the working of the Madras Public Libra-
ries Act. The following is a brief summary of the points
covered by this discussion. The post of the Special OOicer for
Libraries should be transferred from the Department of Pub-
lic Instruction to the Department of Public Libraries. ..The
Director of Libraries should have the privileges of the Head
of a Department... The District Librarian should be made the
secretary of the Local Library Authority... He can then be
given more powers than now. ..The salary scale and status of
400
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
8772
■a District -Librarian should be similar^ to those ^ of any other
'District Officer. The extent to which the . . objects, of the Lib--
rary Act. can' be realized will depend on the personality of the
District, Librarians and of the Director of Libraries. Proper
persons can be secured only if their status and salary are com-
parable to those of District. Officers and Heads of Depart-
ments respectively .” ,It was learnt since then that thC' Minister
was in favour of this proposal, but that, curiously, .resistance
came from a predatory within the profession. It is hoped '
that such opposition will not unduly delay the-advent of '
better days for the practising librarian all the country over. ,,
8772 Teaching and Research Librarian
USA was perhaps the first country to provide full-timed
posts to teach library science. Recently, it has also provided
posts for research in library science. Great Britain provided
a few full-timed teaching posts in about a dozen library schools
after World War II, for the benefit of aspirants to the pro-
fession returning from war-duty. The value of having full-
timed teachers and full-timed students was brought home by
this arrangement. Therefore, the schools have come to stay.
But they are attached largely to Schools of Commerce and
Polytechnics, which seem to have the tradition of making it
obligatory for a teacher to teach for more than twenty hours in
a week. This reduces the position of teachers of library science
to that of elementary school teachers. Little time could be
found for meditation on the subject and research. In fact all
the wealth of experience and promptings for research, got b}
contact with growing minds in the class room, have largely to
run to waste. One remedy for this evil will be the transfer of
the library schools to universities, where the tradition of inter-
twining teaching and research has produced excellent results.
Ill the otlier countries of the West also, there is, generally
speaking, some provision for full-timed teaching posts, but
little for full-timed research or research cww teaching posts,
in India, teaching of library science was begun in the City of -
Madras as early as 1929 as stated in Section 1727 of this
401
^t772:/ ' ^.FlYE: LAWS OF'LIBRARY SCIENCE
^book. By now'^ A^ for teaching in eight ether
universities. But it is all left to the part-time care .of practis-
ing librarians, mostly without even any extra remuneration,
for this extra work. Research in library science can hardiy be,;
possible in such circumstances, unless the inner force of an
exceptional man. pulls , him towards it. As stated in Section
873,. the . University of Delhi was the first to allow, for a:
short , span of years at least, a retired librarian to indulge-
himself in full-timed teaching cum research. But this is not.
sufficient for systematic continuous research and higher tea-
ching. It is hoped that the Sarada Ranganathan Chair of
Library Science being established in the University of Madras-
under the Endowment mentioned in Section 873 will give a
new character to research and teaching.
8773 National Professor of Library Science
India’s renascence of to-day is helping her to value research.
She has begun to take interest in recognising any research
done in any field within thp country. For example, the
Government of India has been impressed by the place India
gained in the international world of physics by the brilliance
and the quantity of output of research in physics, against ail
odds, even in the pre-independence days. It has shown its
appreciation of this by the appointment of a National Pro-
fessor of Physics, and providing for research students to
work with him. This gesture is of great value in inducing a
few gifted young persons to prefer the career of research cum
teaching in the field of physics to being sacrificed in the net
of red-tape as the only means of getting a higher status and
salary scale. Ii is now widely acknowledged that Providence
has helped India to gain a place in the international world of
library science by her original contributions to the subject,
against all odds, even in the pre-independence days — contri-
butions which are now being used as the basis for further
research and for better teaching in foreign countries and in
the international level. Witness for example the passage quot-
ed in Section 861. The momentum thus gained should not
402
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
8782
be ' allowed, to slacken. Discontinuity should not be allowed
to set :m in the march of research in library science in India.
A: few; gifted young persons should feel induced to prefer the
career of research cum teaching in the field of library science
to being sacrificed in the net of. red-tape as the ' only means^
of getting E' higher status- and salary scale. The Government
of India has a responsibility in this matter. It should extend
its gesture to library science by appointing a National Pro-,
fessor of Library .Science and providing for research students
to work with him. This is necessary even in the interests of the
economic development of the country and to avoid wastage
in research-man-hour in other fields, as shown in Section 831:
878 Wish Over Wish
8781 Fulfilment of Old Wish
In relation to the establishment of the School of Library
Science in Madras in 1929, Section 1727 of the 1931 edition
of this book had expressed the wish, '‘May that seedling
grow from more to more ! And may its harvest of fruits
enrich the land from the Himalayas to the Cape Comorin ! ”
That wish has now been fully realised. Its old students are
now heads of many libraries in India and one of them even
outside our country. Some of them have established Schools
of Library Science in their respective libraries. The chain
phenomenon is in full play. Persons trained in the Madras
School and other schools run by its old students are now
scattered all through the country, from Debra Dun and Nepal
in the Himalayan region down to Tinnevelly and Trivandrum
in the Kanya-Kumari region.
8782 A New Wish Now
Sincere thanks go to Providence for the fulfilment of that
old wish. Now, twenty-five years later, the second edition of
the self-same book synchronises with the founding of a full-
timed Chair of Library Science with provision for full-timed
Research Fellows. On this occasion, the prayer to Providence
403
8782 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
takes this form: “ May the new Institute of Library Science
take the foundations of library science deeper andmake it fit
to keep step with every change in the social service demanded
of it ' May the Sarada Ranganathan Professorship in library
science irr'adiate the field!! And may research workers come
to it from all lands and enrich the world from end to end! ! ! ”
88 March of Digvijaya
Chapter 3, entitled “ Second Law and Its Digvijaya is
virtually a rapid history of library movement in different
countries. It is brought up to the time of the first edition
viz., 1931. During the last twenty-five years, library move-
ment has made an enormous progress in those countries and
has taken shape in some new countries too. To trace its
history in detail will require far more space than this book
can spare, and far more effort than I can spare. The library
happenings in the world are now so many that a separate
volume should be set apart for them and that a person should
devote several months, if not years, to collect all the neces-
sary data for writing that volume.
881 Increase IN Quality and Variety
The salient new trends observed a few years ago have been
described in tht Library tour, 1948, Europe and America
it deals only with changes in the quality and developments
in the variety of library service. Most of these are in conso-
nance with the implications of the Five Laws. As stated in
Section 83 and its subsections, the main character of the new
trends is traceable to the shift of emphasis from macro
thought embodied in whole books and volumes of periodicals
to micro thought embodied in articles in periodicals and in
sections and paragraphs of books.
882 Increase in Quantity
The following data are typical of the quantitative increase
of library service in some of the countries of the West. They
pertain to England and Wales. The people accepting library
404
S C r E N TXF I C METHOD
883
service and ; actively reading 'books belonging to public libra-
ries rose from 15% of the population in 1931 to 64% in 1956.
Of this, about 10% is now accounted for by boo'k service to
centres of adult education ; it also presumes that, at present,
a book borrowed from a public library is read atleast by two
members in the family. In the village of Bakewell, the number
of library users is nearly 90%. There is now rate-supported
library service available to every town, village, and hamlet,
except Mountainash, a mining town in Wales; it alone still
prefers to rely solely on the local Mining Institute Library.
The issue of fiction fell down from 70% in 1931 to 40% in
1956. This is largely traceable' to the interest in ever-changing
know-how books under the pressure of progress in technology.
The advent of automation is likely to intensify this change in
the quality of books read.'- In' Nottinghamshire, which is
highly industrialised and urbanised, the annual book issue
rose from 800,000 in 1935 to 4,000,000 in 1956. In Northum-
berland, which is highly hilly and rural, the annual issue rose
from 500,000 in 1935 to 1,500,000 in 1956. In Nottingham-
shire, the annual book-fund rose from Rs. 30,000 in 1935
to Rs. 600,000 in 1956. In Northumberland, the annua! book-
fund rose from Rs. 12,000 in 1935 to Rs. 300,000 in 1956.
The number of volumes available for free use in libraries rose
from 15,000,000 in 1915 to 40,000,000 in 1956.
883 Transformation
The development of library service in post-war Germany is
typical of certain kinds of transformation in some countries
of the West. In the first place, greater attention is being paid
to library service to the common man, as against the scholar.
The People’s Library Association is gaining in influence. The
1956 Conference of this Association was held in Berlin side
by side with the Conference of the German Library Associa-
tion which is predominantly an Association for scholarly lib-
raries. Attending both and addressing both, I could see the
transformation coming over Germany in this respect. In that
conference, there was also evidence of the great impact of’
405
883
FIVE. 'LA WS OF,, LIBRARY' SCIENCE ■
American ideas in librarianship. A whole session was devoted
,:to open access and the problems associated with it. Library
■architecture also is , ' nndergoing transforination,, ■ as,, a conse-
quence. A pleasant' surprise is w^orth recording on account of
„,its relation to the: mention, .of W. Hofmann in the, first edition
in Section 3515.,.:„.I. ,was addressing the Conference, of ,, the
People’s Library: Association., The subject was C/iefwe book
of five kaws for lihrari^ I paid a tribute to Hofmann’s
work in the cause of People’s Libraries and referred to my
correspondence with him thirty- years earlier. At the end of
the talk, the son of Hofmann came out from the audience and
.announced himself to me. He himself is working in the
People’s Library at Stuttgart. When I visited^ his library
later, he showed me the first volume of the biography of Ms
father and said that the correspondence with me was still in
the family archives for being fed into the second' volume,
884 Conquest of New Regions
The Digvijaya of the Second Law has made considerable
progress into the continents of .South America and Africa,
and into the countries in Western and South-Eastern Asia.
Active Library Associations have come into existence in many
countries in these regions. Library consciousness is developing
among the people of these regions at a rapid rate. The basic
cause for this is the recovery from centuries of cultural exhaus-
tion and political subservience. Another cause is traceable to
the influence of the library service given by the British Coun-
cil and the United States Information-Service, This is disclo-
sing to the governments of the countries concerned the great
book-hunger of the people entering into renascence.
885 India
In India, in general, the political independence gained on
15 August 1947 has provided facilities and freedom to acce-
lerate the Digvijaya of the Second Law. An Indian Library
Association was formed in October 1933, It is essentially an
Association of the members of 'the library profession. There
406
SCIENTIFIC M.ETHO0
8851
are now ' State Library Associations in practically every consti-
tuent State* These will: have to be soon realigned to it in with
the 'formation' of linguistic States in November 1956. The
State Library Associations are made up mostly of the general
public. They have therefore great potentiality to^facilitate the
march of the^ Second Law. The adult education centres^ esta-
blished by the Municipality, of Delhi in various parts of the
city, brought prominently to view the hitherto unnoticed:
book-hunger of the common man including the illiterates.
These centres were established from 1948 onwards'. This' led
to the acceptance of Unesco-help to establish a pilot library
project in Delhi. This has demonstrated the persistence of
desire to read to be found among the common people. The
same phenomenon was seen by me all over the country —
in cities as well as villages. The intensity of book-hunger is
so great in some places that the people have voluntarily esta~
blised library service. Of course, they could not know that
such voluntary efforts have many handicaps and may not last
long. The libraries in towns are beginning to give better
service, as the 500 and odd librarians trained in university
library schools and the still larger number trained in the
shorter courses conducted by the various State Library
Associations have begun to fill the places in them.
8851 Madras State
Madras made library history in India by the adoption of
the Public Library Act in 1948. The story of this Act is fully
told in Library legislation : Handbook to the Madras Library
Act (i953)^®^ It is enough to state here that it was due not a
little to the two decades of persistent effort of the Madras
Library Association to make the public of the state library-
conscious and to the demonstration inherent in the state-wide,
almost aggressive, library service given by the Madras Univer-
sity Library during the same two decades. A second fact to be
stated is that the stage of teething trouble is now over. It had
lasted much shorter than in the countries which started,
library legislation before World War II. The library rate
407
885! FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY S'CIENCE: , ' \-
Started collection even in 1949. and was 'continued all' throiigh
the period of teething trouble; . During this period, the Govern-
ment also had been giving its statutory grant on a rupee-for-
rupee basis. The forced - accumulation of these funds in
the earlier years is now seving a useful purpose.. By the. end.,
of 1955, each of the 13- Districts of the residua! Madras .State
had established its Central Library. Among themselves', they
now have 202 branch libraries in towns and 260 delivery
stations in . villages. In the financial year . 1954-55, the library
rales brought Rs. 5| lakhs.' In- .addition tO' giving an equal
sum of Statutory grant, . the Government of Madras gave
Rs. 36,000 to Aided Libraries 'and spent Rs, 60,000 on the
State Central Library. -Further, the Community Project
Department gave a grant of Rs. 1 4- lakhs for library service
in seven areas. The following, further extracts from the
Memorandurn^^^ gbim by me to the Minister for Education and
Finance on 9 April 1955 indicate the possible trends in future
policy. ‘'‘‘■It would add ■ to considerable, efficiency, if the
Government uses its contribution ■ to the maintenance of the
library staff, and the proceeds; of the library cess are spent
■entirely on t.he other items of library expenditure. There are
analogies to this proposal in other departments such as
Medicine and Public Health.
' *® The classification and cataloguing of the books published
within the state and also most of common foreign books
taken by the District Libra.ry Systems should be done at the
State Central Library. This "library'; should . supply printed
catalogue cards to the District Library Systems. The staff of
these systems will have thus little ■■ work, to do ''.Vbehind t,h
screen,” Their time can bt spent .mostly in d.!:rect service to
readers.
The State Central Library should be
1 a reservoir library from which any service-library in the
state can borrow for local use ; and
2 only a reference library to those who visit it. Even the
residents of the City of Madras should dmw books
from it only through a local service-library.
408
SCIENTIFIC- METHOD
885-2.,
: , ■ "5The State library Committee should deal oEly -with,
.gefleral prmciples of policy*'
“ The censorship, dames in the rales for the 'grant to aided
libraries should be removed* In a democracy, ceiis,or.iiig of ,
books should not be delegated by the Government to any.
lower authority, particularly to a library. Every citizen,' is-
entitled to get from or through his library any book ' allowed
to, be published "within the State or to be brought into the-
State and not banned by the Government;
Book-selection should be severely a local ■ affair. Neither
the State Library Committee nor the Directo.r of' Libraries,
should interfere in' the matter. The State -Library Committee
may ask the Director of Libraries to publish periodically an
annotated book-selection list, for the use of the District
Library Systems.
'"The copyright list should be prepared and published
according to the latest professional standard. It should consist
of a classified main part and an alphabetical index.
""Centralised purchase df books and centralised binding^
may not work satisfactorily. But some saving of cost may be
effected by some co-operative effort .in these matters.
""The existing ru.Ies' need amendments; but there is no'
urgency to amend the Act.”
' 8852 Other States of South India
When Andhra Desa.was formed, it took the Madras
Library Act with it. It has also worked it with zeal. The
State of Hyderabad had its 'Public Libraries Act in 1955.
This has now been split up a'.nd'the parts have been amalga-
mated with the neighbouring States. This redistribution of the
areas of the State has a - possible good import in respect of
public library provision. This is brought out by the following
extract from my Message^^’^ to the Third or the Swan-song
Conference convened by the Hyderabad Library Association
during August 1956. ""It'had been given to me to play some
part in the library legislation of Madras and Hyderabad...,
After the Library Act came into force, Madras was bifiirca-
409
L.S.—26.
«852 FIVE LAWS OF LIB R AR Y S C IE N CE
ted, the Andhra Desa took the Library Act with it. It is
working it with interest. The residual Madras State is again
getting divided. It is now contributing Malabar to Kerala
and South Kanara to Karnataka. But these districts form
only a fraction of their new States. Will they too carry the
Madras Act with them? Will Kerala and Karnataka adopt
the Act brought by their tributaries ?
“ After its Library Act came into force, Hyderabad is being
trifurcated. There will be no difficulty in amalgamating into
a single Act for Andhra Pradesh, the Hyderabad Act brought
by Telengana and the Madras Act brought by Andhra Desa.
“The position in Maharashtra will be different. Will it
adopt the Hyderabad Library Act being brought in by Mara-
thawada ? The partner from the old Bombay State has been
brought up in a different library tradition. Its fiost State had
believed that library service could be developed by a mere
executive action without a special Library Act. It had also
believed that library finance could be based on annual volun-
tary subscription by those who wish to read. As early as
1948, I had occasion to warn the Education Minister of
Bombay about the futility, of such beliefs. The vicissitudes in
the library affairs of the Bombay State during the'last eight
^fears have amply demonstrated that futility. I wish that
Maharashtra accepts from Marathawada this gift of a
Library Act.
“ Karnataka should feel the pressure of a similar gift even
more. It is being formed of four constituents. South Kanara
will bring the Madras Act with it. The Kannada area of
Hyderabad will bring the Hyderabad Act with it. The Kan-
nada area of Bombay will bring the futile tradition of
Bombay. As for the old Mysore, it is virgin soil for library
legislation. But adult education has progressed well and
fostered library-consciousness. The least that should be done
is for the areas who bring Library Acts with them to con-
tinue to work them. The best that can be done is for the
enlarged Karnataka, as a whole, to adopt the amalgamated
Act.
410
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
8853:
: : ^ “ In Keralav/ M which will be, a' big partner, ;MB:gs;:
.the: Madras: Act with it. Both, the other partners—Travancore
and .Cochin— had' considered Library Bills drafted:by, nie, for ■
them- about nine years ago. Moreover, their Library Associa-
tio.iis. had been very active.. There has also been,^ a. Keraia
Library, Associatio.n, in anticipation of the. .present ,,,a,malga“:
mation, which can put its weight on the side of Malabar's Act
being adopted, by the new Kerala State. If these wishes
become a reality, five of the fifteen States of India will have
Library Acts, to put their library service on firm foundations.
These five States will cover the whole of South India. This
will be a source of inspiration for the other ten States to
proceed with library legislation." ■
8853 Other States of India
But the delay of library legislation in the other States of
India has now brought a new cause of confusion. Though
library is a State Subject according to the Indian Constitu-
tion, the Government of India has powers of co-ordination.
A second factor is the scheme of Community Projects and
National Development Plan, which are virtually controlled
by the Government of India. But the Central Government
cannot be in touch with the requirements of library service,
which is really a local affair. That is the reason for the
makers of the Constitution having put it in the State List.
This is liable to be forgotten by the Centre. Here, a third
factor comes in. The tax-pattern of the country as a whole
puts more revenue in the hands of the Centre; this is a
measure of abundant caution for the Centre to discharge its
defence responsibilities in case of foreign aggression. In
peace-time, however, the surplus money has to be given back
to the States. Though the money comes from the people
living in the States, this unavoidable financial arrangement
produces a double illusion. It makes the Centre look upon
itself as a patron ; and the States also share this illusion. The
result is the tendency to the acceptance by the Slates of dicta-
tion from the Centre in library matters, among others. There
411
8853 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
is naturally a desire on the part of the Centre to make library
service everywhere to depend on itself. The result is teusual
phenomenon of the bureaucracy at a distant ^®"^"®^^There is.
hso a fourth factor, to make matters worse. The coun ry is.
now helped by some foreign sources m working out the
National Development Plan. It leads to an illusion that makes
one forget that this source will not be there for all time and
°hat a local service, like library service, cannot be enduring
aiid receive hearty acceptance unless the Local Body concein-
ed raises some at least of the library fund by local rate.
8854 Side-tracking and Delay
The four factors mentioned above are putting the State
Governments off the track and delaying library legislation m
the States not having them already. In view of the delay in
putting the library service of each State on a_ proper legisla-
tive basis and thereby ensuring unbroken continuity ol funds,
one cannot help seeing anything more than a well-meant wish
in a statement like the following put up by the bureaucracy
for a Ministerial Announcement of programme : “Out of the
320 and odd districts of India, 100 have either already set up
circulating libraries or are in the process of domg^so. The
programme that we have drawn up will ensure that by March
1961, there will be no district without its own District Library
and circulating service.”
8855 Full-Fledged Library Personality
A picture of the ultimate full-fledgedlibrary personality of
India was drawn up in the Library development plan (195(^ .
It was given as the goal to be reached by 1980. For reaching
that goal and maintaining it thereafter without any deteriora-
tion in quantity or quality, it is necessary for each- constituent
State and the Central Government to put a Library Act on
their respective statute books — the necessary drafts are given
in Sections 42 and 43 of this book. There is every ho^ that
this will soon be done. For, the difficulties of the kind men-
tioned in Sections 8653 and 8654 will be warded off, m due
412
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
88(5
course, as informed public opinion and vigilance develop, safe-
guard democracy from the dangers of being swamped by
bureaucracy, and bring about a pattern of life in which demo-
cracy and bureaucracy can do their best for the true and last-
ing benefit of the people. As modified by the re-drawing of the
political map of India and the full realisation of the formation
of linguistic States in the near future, the library system of
India will be made up as follows — apart from the university,
college, school, and other academic libraries, and industrial,
commercial, departmental, and other business libraries.
14,000 Travelling Library Units serving the 80,000 villages
and 600,000 hamlets once in a fortnight ;
2,500 Rural Branch Libraries serving the towns with popula-
tion between 5,000 and 50,000 ;
360 Rural Central Libraries in the headquarters of the
Districts;
200 City Central Libraries in the cities with a population
of 50,000 or more ;
2, 5(X) City Branch Libraries in the Cities ;
15 State Central Libraries located in the capitals of the
constituent States ;
1 National Central Library located in the capital of India.
May India develop this full-fledged Library Personality
before 1980 !
886 Danger of Money-Sieve
The Digvijaya of the Second Law has to depend as much
on money as any other world-conquest. The money has
ultimately to come from the people. The perennial channels
for the flow of money are provided by the tax-system of a
country. Local rate, State tax, and also Federal tax in the
larger countries, are the usual channels. The proportion in
which these three channels bring in money for the Digvijaya
of the Second Law is determined by the tax-pattern of the
country. This tax-pattern varies from country to country, and
from time to time in one and the same country. In the past.
Great Britain allowed only the channel of local rate to feed
413
t:AW,S OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
libraries.' B tbe last Labour^ Government felt that: this was'
■proving: inadequate in the present-day tax-pattern., the: Lib-'
rary Association also felt ■ the same way. A library bill, tO'
authorise the opening of the channel of ■ Government grant,
had however to, be postponed for various political reasons.
In 'U after, a. decade of systematic' lobbying :by the-
'American 'Library Association with the help of a special esta-
blishment for the purpose in the Capitol Buildings themselves,
a Federal Library Act came into force in 1956 providing for
the opening of the channel of Federal grant. The Model Lib-
rary Acts in 'Sections 42 and 43'. of this book provide' for the
flow of money to the Second . Law through all the three
channels. While seeking the keeping open of all the three
channels, the Second Law insists that no strings should be
attached to the money packets coming through the channels
of State and Federal grants. Vigilant public opinion has
secured this safeguard for the Second Law in USA. It will
do so in India too. Perhaps, as stated in section 8653, the
safeguard has not yet assumed sufficient vigour. But there is
no reason to doubt that it will establish itself in due course—
by the time the Library Acts are put on the statute book.
Perhaps, an even greater concern of the Second Law is that
no money-sieve develops between the reader and his book. It
insists that payment for library service should be made by
every citizen only through the medium of rates and taxes —
that is, in the measure of his taxable capacity whether
he himself has occasion to take the service or not, but
never, at so much money for so much book-service or infor-
mation service, or bibliographical service. In this view, for
example, the charge for bibliographical service provided in
the rules of the Insdoc is repugnant to the Second Law. The
danger of frivolous demand for bibliographical service,
alleged as the reason for the money sieve, should be met by
other means. The Select Committee introduced in the Madras
Library Act a provision which can be abused by a Library
Authority to charge subscriptions from readers. This had
happened when 1 was away from the country. However, on
414
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
887
my pointing out this fault,, the .Minister for Education agrcM
to make it clear, in the Rules framed Hinder the Act, ' that no
such subscription should be '.levied. The Rules have been
framed accordingly. '
887 Library M.agna Garta
A more serious threat came to the , Second, Law in thisv
matter from a very influential library, the Library of. the:
United Nations, in 1948. It had proposed the institution- of
/"" Contract Services with other libraries, according to which
any library may be paid by the United Nations, for the. use of
its holdings.' As a member of the Inter-national . Advisory ■
Committee of Library Experts of the United Nations, I felt
alarmed at this proposal brought up for the approval of the
Committee. I suggested the amendment of "" contract services
with consultants” in the place of ""contract services with
libraries.” The amended proposition read ""The UN Library
may, whenever it is necessary or expedient, secure contractual
services by entering into contracts with ad hoc consultants
for collecting reference and bibliographical data on speciilc
subjects from the resources of other libraries.” The follow-
ing text of my speech on that occasion is worth quoting : —
""The consideration for the contractual service will have to
be monetary. But it is essential that no occasion should be
created for any library to give its service to any individual —
personal or corporate — on the basis of " so much money for
so much service.’ The Anglo-American world for example
has succeeded after a century’s arduous thinking and living
in this matter in setting up the principle that service of a
library should be free. This, I regard as the Library Magna
Carta, for which the world is indebted to Anglo-American
countries. I know how difficult it is even now in some other
countries in Europe and Asia to shake off, what may be des-
cribed as the old, old tradition of inserting a money sieve
between the resources of a library and its potential consumers.
Indeed, human nature seems to have a heavy gravitation
towards every kind of tradition which brings in "bargain’ of
415
887 FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
one kind or another. This Committee must be_ extremely on
the alert to see that no element in the policy it recommends
puts the unique UN Library in a position that may be inter-
preted as helping perpetuation of that gravitation, directly or
obliquely, and knowingly or unknowingly.
“Perhaps this gravitation has been eliminated for so long
in the Anglo-American nations that they even fail to recognise
it when it appears in a slightly disguised form. But the library
profession practising in other countries is daily coming up
against it. And it is very apprehensive of the repercussion of
‘contracts with libraries on ad hoc monetary basis’ on the
fate of the Library Magna Carta in the world at large. It
will set the the clock back. This must be avoided. I would
appeal to this Committee of Library Experts to resist out-
right whenever the ‘service for payment’ spirit begins to
appear among libraries in an apparently innocent form.
“The formula set forth in the first paragraph of this
memorandum appears to my mind to give freedom to the
UN Library to secure ad hoc hands to explore materials in
other libraries without any violence to the Library Magna
Carta. It will give freedom to employ part-time consultants.
As such consultants will be able men in the library profes-
sion, they can dig into the resources of any library without
causing undue additional strain on its staff. Indeed, in some
cases the consultants may even be part-time men working in
the library being explored. AU that the UN may have to pay
for to the library occasionally will be for the reservation of
a room for the secretary of tjic consultant, if it is found
absolutely necessary. Even here, it is possible for the contract
with the consultant to cover such rents for office room, so
that he pays the library out of what he gets from the UN
instead of money passing directly from the UN to the library
even in this extreme form.
“ Incidentally, this formula also provides against political
and emotional prejudice that may possibly be induced in the
constituents of the UN, if the dressing of the intellectual
pabulum needed for it is left in the hands of an employee of
416
SCIENTIFIC METHOD 888
another library, who has neither official nor contractual
relation with the UN.
“This formula will invest the UN Library with full capa-
city to draw from the lump sum provided in the UN budget
for contractual services not involving permanent addition to
the staff.”
Indeed every member of the library profession, eveiy library,
and every inember of the public owes a duty to the Second
Law in keeping the greatest possible vigilance necessary to
prevent the insertion of any kind of visible or invisible
money-sieve between the documents in a library and their
seekers, and to protect the Library Magna Carta in its letter
and in its spirit.
888 UNESCO
The greatest event in the library world, since World War 11,
is the establishment of the Division of Libraries in Unesco,
an auxiliary of the United Nations to promote educational,
scientific, and cultural matters in the world. Though library
service pervades all the three main spheres of Unesco, the
Division of Libraries is, for, administrative purposes, attached
to the Cuturai Wing. Since its formation in 1946, the Division
of Libraries has been doing its best to be a powerful ally of
all the Laws of Library Science. It is exercising its powers of
influencing to persuade the governments of the member-
nations to organise a net of public libraries in their respective
areas and, for this purpose, to put on their respective statute
books comprehensive Library Acts. It has been running
public library projects in different regions of the world for
demonstrating the book-hunger in the people and the use of
a free library service. It helps the translation of the classics
of every nation into the languages of other nations. It is
exercising its influence on the production of international
abstracting and other bibliographical periodicals and serials,
so that overlapping may be eliminated and no field of know-
ledge may be left uncovered. For this purpose, it arranges
for factual surveys of existing materials in the field. It is
417
FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
helping the establishment of national documentation centres
in several countries. It provides or promotes facilities for
study-tours by librarians. It is beginning to wield some influ-
ence over the international non-governmental bodies, such as
the Ilia and the Fid and to promote some degree of inter-
national standards in library techniques. -It is also endeavour-
ing to promote copyright deposits, national bibliographies
and international exchange and loan of documents. There is
immense scope for the activities of Unesco to help the
establishment of the continuous sway of the Five Laws
of Library Science over the entire v/orld.
418
APPENDIX 1 '
Specification foe a Teak- Wood Book-Rack
(See p. 332 for illustration)
The standard -uait-rack designed by me for the Madras-
Uiii¥ersity Library- in 1926 has two faces. Each face has two
bays, :so that the unit rack is a four-bayed rack-two bays
on each side. While the height may be 7 ft. in adult libraries,
it should not exceed 5 ft. in children’s libraries.
The detailed dimensions and specification for an adult-
library unit areas follows: —
1 External dimensions & 6"-x T 6"x 7'.
2 Three uprights, each T x T 6" x 7h
3 Seven shelf^-planks for each bay, each 3' x X 1".
Two of the shelf-pianks are to be fixed ones— one near , the
top and the other near the bottom. The other five are to be
movable ones supported by Tonk’s fittings, so that they can
be adjusted to an inch. It may be an advantage to provide
four spare shelf-planks for each unit.
4 The book-rack is to have sanitary bottom, Le., the lowest
shelf-plank is to be fixed at a height of 6 ins. from the floor
to facilitate cleaning the floor beneath the rack and easy
vigilance. The topmost shelf-plank is to be fixed 6 ins. below
the top of the uprights.
5 To prevent the books on the shelves in one face getting
mixed up with the books on the corresponding shelves in the
other face, a weld-mesh or other partition is to separate the
two faces. It is to accommodate its frame that the planks
are made only 8^ inches broad, thus leaving a gap of I inch
in the centre of the rack. The weld-mesh or other partition is
to begin only from a height of 6 inches from the lowest fixed
shelf-plank and go right up to the lower side of the upper-
most fixed shelf-plank. The advantage in beginning it only
from a height of 6 inches from the lowermost shelf-plank is
that giant folios, which are more than a foot broad, can
be made to lie flat, on the bottommost fixed shelf-planks,
419
■I , ■ ^
.APPENDIX. 1
,< extending' .from one , face, to the other. If ..the. weld-mesh is
. : of steel ' and not of brass, it should" be coated with; an
■mi ti-corro.sive . paint
f . 6 The. front edge of each sheif-plank is to have a wedge-
shaped .groove cut. in it, '.to hold the shelf-cards. If the .groove
is carefully, cut, the shelf-cards can be easily slided. from end
to . end, as the books are' .necessarily moved in course, . of
time.
7 The ■ three, uprights are bound together by the, four pairs
■of ixed shelf “planks. It would he an advantage to reinforce
this .by means , of two steel tie-rods binding them together,
■one at a height of 2ift. from the bottom and the other at a
depth of 2-J- ft. from the top. To accommodate these rods it
may be necessary to make the weld-mesh partition in three
parts, the rods running between the frames of the parts.
8 It may be. convenient to. fix spring blind-holders to each
bay to hold maps. At least two maps can be accommodated
in front of each bay. The maps arc to be normally in the
rolled-up position. Whenever necessary, they are to be pulled
■out for reference and then released so as to roll up.
9 The- teak-wood used should be weli-seasone.d and the
contractor should, make good any crack that it may develop
within a year of supply.
10 The length of all the shelf-planks should be quite accu-
rate, so that they can be interchanged without any restriction.
This unit rack requires about 10 eft of teak-wood. It has
84 running ft. of shelf-space. It can accommodate, on . an ''
•average, 1,000 volumes. When - full of books, it will weigh..
■ about I ton.
4^
APPENDIX 2
Specification for a Tbak-Wood Periodicals-Table-
{See p. '333 for illustration)
' ■ The standard' Periodicals-Table, designed by' me for the '
Madras University Library in 1936 is' at, once a display-table
a'nd a, reading-table. It is made of solid teak-wood througli-
oiit'. It can seat three readers along each of its sides. A gallery ,
with six steps, faces the readers- at each side' and holds about
1 CD current numbers of , periodicals with front-covers-on to
readers. The detailed dimensions and specification for an
adult-library- unit are as follows: —
,- i Overall dimensions' are' 6 feet wide, 6 feet deep, 2' feet
6. inches high.
2 The depth of 6 feet is occupied in succession by: —
21 A tablMop plank 6 feet long, 2 feet broad, and
1 inch thick ;.
22 A gap 6 feet long, and 2 feet wide for the insertion ’
of the gallery for the display of periodicals ; and
23 A table-top plank 6 feet long, 2 feet wide and 1 inch
thick.
3 The under-frame consists of : —
31 Three pairs of legs each with a cross-section 3 inches
square at top and tapering to 2\ inches square at
bottom ; the distance between the legs in each pair to
be 4 feet centre-to-centre ;
32 A rectangular frame- work to run under the two-table
planks mentioned in 21 and 23 ; and also to connect
all the legs ; each of the seven connecting members
forming the frame-work to be cut out of 6 feet by 3
inches by inches ;
33 A rectangular frame-work to connect all the legs and
fitted by mortises and tenons at a height of 6 inches
from floor ; the two members parallel to the sides of
the table to be tilted on the outside so as to form
footrests ; all the five connecting members forming
421
APPENDIX 2
this frame-work to-be oat of 3 kches by 1|- inches;
"two members will be 6 feet long, while the other three
: ^ will be 4 feet long.
4 A double-faced gallery, to be inserted, in the gap between,
the two table- top planks. The gallery to be in two units each
with: overall dimensions approxim.ateiy 3 feet wide and 2 feet
deep at the bottom tapering to 6 inches deep at the top, and
2 feet 10| inches in height. Each face of the gallery to
have six -.steps sloping inwards to accommodate periodicals.
The lowest step, to be 6 inches- below the table-top plank,
Spring-steel-curtain-wire to be fixed to screw eyes '' suitably
positioned on the end-upright panels of each face of each
unit, of the gallery, one wire corresponding to each step, so as
to prevent periodicals from falling forward.
5 Three fully planked panels, one at each end and -one' at
the middle, to house ” the steps and the sloping back-planks
of the gallery.
6 Two galvanised pipes of one inch outside diameter,
threaded into flanges which are screwed into 3 inches by
2 inches teak-wood members, connecting the two end-pairs of
legs, at a height of 22 inches from floor level, so as to act as
strengthening cross ties.
7 Along the foot of the gallery on each of the table-top
planks, an inclined label holder to be provided. It should have
a groove with a slightly wedge-shaped cross-section to take a
strip of cardboard, 1-^ inches wide and about inch thick.
BIBLIOGRAPHY ,
Note-— Tfie reference after the serial number is to the number, of
the section in the book, where the reference occurs. ,
.1. Sec. .12,6. Koch (Theodore Wesley),' On ■ u,nive.rsity, .libraries,
: 1924. 27. ■.
2. Sec. 128. Janzow (Laura M). Library without the walls,
reprints of .papers and addresses (Classics of American librarian-
ship ed by Arthur E. Bostwick, 6). 1927. 19.
3. ' Sec, 135. Wilson bulletin. Y4. 1918. 65. '' '
4. Sec. 135. Reclus (Elsee). Earth and its inhabitants: A universa
■geography ed by E G Ravenstein, 1882. J . 484.
5. Sec. 138. Harper ^William Rainey).' Trend in h.igher education.
. , 1905. 120-1.
■6. Sec. J391./N^/. 121-5.
7. Sec. 142. American Library Association. Survey of the libraries'
in the United States. 1926. 2. 94-5 ; 159-60. .
8. Sec. 143. Shakespeare (William). Merchant of Venice. Act I.
Scene 1.
9. Sec. 144. Great Britain. Public Libraries Committee. Report on
publiclibraries in England and Wales. 1927. 75.
10. Sec. 1 6. Edwards (Edward). Free town libraries, their formation,
management, and history in Britain, France, and America,
together with a brief notice of book-collectors, and of the
respective places of deposit of their surviving collections.
1869. 73.
11. Sec. 17. Cannons (Harry George Turner). Bibliography of
library economy : A classified index to the professional periodi-
cal literature in the English language relating to library economy,
printing, methods of publishing, Copyright, bibliography etc.,
from 1876 to 1920. 1927. 225^82.
12. Sec. 1701. Library Association record. NS 6. 1928.237-8.
13. Sec. 1702. Bellot (Hugh Hale). University College, London,
1826-1926. 1929. 418.
14. Sec. 1702. Murray (David). Memoirs of the Old College of
Glasgow, some chapters in the history of the University,
1927. 54.
15. Sec. 1703. Smythe (George Franklin), Kenyon Colley, its first
century. 1924. 39.
16. Sec, 1703. Koch (Theodore, Wesley), On university libraries,
1924. 40-1.
17. Sec. 1704. Smythe (George Franklin). Kenyon College, its first
century,' 1924. 123.
433 ■ ■
bibliography
18. Sec. 1704. Smythe (George' Franklin). ' Kenyon College, its first
century. 1924. 124.. '
19. Sec. 1708. Adult education and the library. 3. 1928. '52.
20. Sec. 1711. .Library Association. Great Britain. Proceedings of the
fiftieth conference. 1927. 57.
21. Sec. 1712. .Birrell (Augustine). Collected essays and addresses,.
1880-I920. 3. 1922.206.
22. Sec. '17, 21. Ibid 227-8.
23. Sec. 1725. 'Great Britain.- Public Libraries Committee. Report on-
public libraries In England and Wales. 1927. 88.
24. Sec. 1732. .Pancha'tantra, (Harvard oriental series, II). 1908, 152.,
'25. Sec. 1732. Bhartrihari. Niti-sataka and vairagya-sataka ed by
Gopinath with Hindi and E.ngiish translation. 1924 .99.
26. Sec. ,1732. Syr- peny, a fourteenth century poem quoted in
Coultton (George Gordon) : Social life in Britain from the'
Conquest to the Reformation. 1918. 369-70.
27. Sec. 1737. - .Hyderabad. Archaelogy (Department of—). Inscrip-
tions of Nagai. (Hyderabad archaeological series, 8). 1928.
28. Sec. 174. Kamban. Ramayanam, Kishkinda-kandam, Chap 8,
Verse 2.
29. Sec. 174. Valmiki, Ramayanam, Kishkinda-kandam. Chap 33-4.
30. Sec. 174. Library Association record. NS 6. 1928. 237.
31. Sec. 1765. Great Britain. Public Libraries Comrhittee. Report on
public libraries in England and Wales. 1927. 88.
32. Sec. 1112. Adult education and library. 4. 1929. 16.
33. Sec. 1773 Library movement : A collection of essays by divers
hands. (Madras Library Association, publication series, I).
1929. 2.
34. Sec. 178. Tayumanavar. Paraparak-kanni. Vense 155.
35. Sec. 178. Tambyah (Tambi Pillai Issac). Psalms of a Saiva saint,
being selections from the writings of Tayumanaswamy, tr into
English verse. 1925, Verse 76.
36. Sec. 178i. Edwards (Edward). Memoirs of libraries, including a
handbook of library economy. 2. 1859. 96-7.
37. Sec. 1 8. Bhagavad-Gita. Chap 2. Verse 47.
38. Sec. 211. Aristotle. Poetics, tr by Edward Walford. Book 1.
Chaps. P 13.
39. Sec. 211. Ibid Book i. Chap 13. P 30.
40. Sec. 211. Hodgen (Margarat Trabue).,' Workers’' 'education' In
England and the United States. 1925. 8,
41. Sec. 212. Ibid 13.
42. Sec. 212. Jackson (George Lenoy) P,rivilege of education, a
history of its extension. (Library of educatlooai methods).
1918.39.
BIBLIOGRAPHY.,
43. See. ;20. Maiideville (Benia.rd). Fable ■ of the : bees : or private-
. vices, :pub,!ic benefits, with , a commentary critical, , histo.rical„
■ ^ and explanatory., ed by F B Kaye. I 1924. 288.
44. Sec. 214. Wallas (Graham). Life of Francis Place, 177.1-1 854.
1919. 112.
45. .Sec... 214. 3.7.
46. Sec. 214. Green (Thomas Hill). Works, ed by E L Nettleship. ■
V . . . . 3..T890. 387-.
47. Sec.. 214. Hansard. 104. 1918. 344.
48. Sec. 215. Bryce (James). Modern democracies. L. 1929. 79.
49. Sec.' 2151, Library Association record. N s. 4. 1926. 99.
50. Sec. 2151. Ibid. 194.
51. Sec. 2152. 'American Libra.ry Association. Bulletin. 20. 1926.
261-2.
52. ' Sec. 216. Smith (Adam). Enquiry into the nature and cause of the
wealth of nations, ed by Joseph Shield Nicholson. 1884. 328-9.
53. Sec. 216. ibid. 328-30.
54. Sec. 217, Sharpless (Isaac). ; English ' education in the elementary
and secondary school. (Interaationai education series ed by
WT: Harris, 22). 1892. 10.
55. Sec, 217. Great Britain. Law reports. Statutes.- 33 and 34
Victoria, Chap 75. sec 74 ; 43 and 44 Victoria, chap 23, sec
2 ; 54 and 55 Victoria, chap 56, sec 2.
56. Sec. 217. Huxley (Thomas Henry). Life and letters, ed by his.
son Leonard Huxley. 3. 1913. 7.
57. Sec. 2171. Adult education and the library. 3. 1928. 12-3.
58. Sec. 2173. Ibid. 20.
59. Sec. 2174. Ibid. 22.
60. Sec. 2175. Bishop (William Warner) and Keogh (Andrew). Ed.
Essays offered to Herbert Putnam... on his thirtieth anniver-
sary as Librarian of Congress, 5 April 1929. 1929. 374-6.
61. Sec, 2231. Wright (Frederick Adam). Greek social life.
1925. 6-13.
62. Sec. 2231. Monroe (Paul). Source book of the history of edu-
cation from the Greek and Roman period. 1901. 34.
63. Sec. 2231. Bible. Epistles of Paul. 1 Corinthians. 35.
64. Sec. 2232. Chesterfield .Letters, ed by John Bradshaw. 1892.
Letter 76.
65. Sec. 2232, Compayre (Gabriel). Jean Jaques Rousseau and edu-
cation from nature, tr by R P Jago. 1907., 85.
66. Sec. 2231. Rousseau (Jean Jaques). Emile or treatise on edo-^
cation, abridged, tr, and annotated by William H Payne. (Inter-
national education series ed by W T Harris, 20). 191 1. 281.
67. Sec. 2233. Arthur (T S). Advice to young ladies. 152-3.
' 425
IL.S.—27
SCIENCE
/68. 'Sec. 2233; :Saturday review, i860,; quoted by Thomas Woody in
., : History of women’s education in the United States*
. 69.: Sec. 2234. Monroe (Paul). Cyclopaedia of education. 5. 1911.
, ; :,'805.. .
.70. Sec. 2234. Cambridge history of English literature. 9, 1912.404.
71. Sec. 2234. Wharton (Anne Hollingsworth). Colonia.1 days and,
.'da.mes. 1895. .195-6.
72. Sec, 2235. Woody (Thomas). History of women’s education in
the United States. 1 . 1 929. 1 32.
73. Sec. 2235. Milton (John). Comus. Lines 69-75:
74. Sec. 2241. Woody (Thomas). History of women’s education in
the United States. 1, 1929. 129.
75. Sec. 2242. Home economics and the curriculum in School and
.yodetv, 32, 1915, 279.
76. Sec. 2243. Beecher (Catherine Esther) and Stowe (Harriet
Beecher). Principles of domestic service, as applied ' to the
duties and pleasures of home : A text-book for the use of young
ladies in schools, seminaries and colleges. 1870. 13-4.
77. Sec. 2243. Bishop (William Warner) and Keogh (Andrew). Ed.
Essays offered to Herbert Putnam... on his thirtieth anniversary
as Librarian of Congress, 5 April 1929. 1929. 368.
78. Sec. 2251. Pearson (Karl). Chances of death and other studies
in evolution. I. 1897. 256-377.
79. Sec. 2251. !bid. 376-7.
80. Sec. 2252. Ellis (Havelock). Men and women ; A study of human
secondary sexual characters. 1926. 284. ,
81. Sec. 2252. Hollingworth (Leta Statte). Functional periodicity, an
experimental study of the mental and motor abilities of women
during menstruation. (Teacher’s College studies, Columbia
University, 60). 1914.
82. Sec. 226. Great Britain. Indian Statutory Commission. Interim
report... Review of the growth of education in British India by
the Auxiliary Committee appointed by the Commission. 1929.
151.
53. Sec. 226, Ibid. 151.
54. Sec. 231. Xenophon. Hellinica. Book 3. Section 2. Subsection
30. Page 215 of volume I of the Loeb classical library edition,
1918.
85. Sec. 231. Ashby (M K). Country school, its practice and pro-
blems. 1929. 29.
M. Sec. 2312. Great Britain. Indian Statutory Commission. Interim
report.- -Review of the growth of education in British India by
the Auxiliary Committee appointed by the Commission, 1929.
37,
426
BIBLIOGRAPHY
87/ Sec. '2312. Great Britain. Agricultiire in India (Royal Commis-
. „ sion on— ). Report, 1928. 67,'
88. Sec. 2321. Felton (Ralph Almen) and Beal (Marjorie). Library
of the open road. (Cornell' extension bulletin, 188). 1929.
I4--5. ; ,
89. ; Sec. 2322. Carnegie Rural . Library Conference, London, 1920.
.Proceedings- 12.
90. See. 2322. Great Britain. Law .reports. Statutes. 9 and 10,
George V, chap 93, sec 1.
91. Sec, 2322. Great Britain. Public Libraries Committee. Report
on public libraries In England and Wales. 1927, 8.
92. Sec.; 2331. Great Britain. Agriculture in India (Royal commis-'
sionon—). Report. 1928. 539.
93. Sec. 2362. County Library Conference. Great Britain. 2. 1924.
Proceedings. 12-5.
94. ' Sec. 2364. Carnegie United Kingdom Trust. Annual report 15.
, 1928. 33.
95. Sec. 2364. Carnegie United Kingdom Trust. Some impressions
of the public library system of the United States of America.
1927. 84.
96. Sec. 2365. County Library Conference. Great Britain. 2. 1924.
Proceedings, 61.
97. Sec. 2371. Library Association. Great Britain. Proceedings of
the fiftieth conference, 1927. 79.
98. Sec. 2382. County Library Conference. Great Britain. 3. 1926
Report of the proceedings. 89.
99. Sec. 2383.— .— 2. 1924.— .59.
100. Sec. 2383. Ibid. 59,
101. Sec. 2384. Ibid. 61.
102. Sec. 2386, Ibid. 66.
103. Sec. 2386. County Library Conference. Great Britain. 3. 1926.
Report of the proceedings, 11.
104. Sec. 2387. Felton (Ralph Almen) and Beal (Marjorie). Library
of the open road. (Cornell extension bulletin, 188). 1929. 34«5.
105. Sec. 241. India. Census oflndia, 1921. V 2. Part 2. Tables. 141.
106. Sec. 241. — . — . V 1. Part 1. Report, ill.
107. Sec. 241. Carnegie United Kingdom Trust, Annual report. 1.
1914. 13.
108. Sec. 241. Great Britain. Public Libraries Committee. Report on
public libraries in England and Wales. 1927. 142.
109. Sec. 241. Encyclopaedia Britannica., Ed 14, 1929. 3. 721.
110. Sec. 241. Ibid. 723.
11!. Sec. 241. Librarian’s guide. 1928/29. 66.
112. Sec* 241. Minerva jahrbuch. 1930. 1. 1387.
FIVE LAWS;OF' ■:LiBRARY.:SClENGE,
113. Sec. 241. Great Biitain. ' Public Libranes Committee. Report oe
public libraries in England and- Wales. 1927. 141. ■ '
1,14. Sec. 241. Bible. Mark. Chap 8. Verse 18.
115. Sec. 241 . Adult education and the library. 3. 1928. 20,
116. Sec. 26. India. Census of India. 1921. V. I. Part 2. Report. 204.
117. Sec. 26. Carnegie United Kingdom Trust, ' Annual report. 13.
1926. 31.
118. Sec. 26. Great Britain. Public Libraries Committee. Report on
public libraries in England and Wales. 1927.144-5.
119. Sec. 261. Carnegie United Kingdom Trust. Annual Report. 15.
1928. 192.
T 20. Sec. 262. Great Britain.- Public Libraries Committee. Report on
public libraries in England and -Wales. 1927.146.
121. Sec. 281. ' Suiidaram Piilai (P). Age of Tirujria-nasambandhar (irt
th& Tamilian ant iquaiy, 2, \9\^. 65).
122. Sec. 281. Sekkilar. Peria-puranam. Chap 2. Verses 1250-3.
123. Sec. 311. American Library Association. Bulletin. 20. 1926.303.
124. Sec. 312. — . Library Extension Board. Library extension, a
study of public library conditions and needs, 1926, 19.
125. Sec. 3122. Bulletin. 20. 1926. 339.
126. Sec. 3123. — . — . 24. 1930. 207-28.
127. Sec. 313. McLean (Robert Norris). That Mexican ! As he really
is, north and south of the Rio Grande. 1928. 106.
128. Sec. 313L Saenz (Moises) and Priestley (Herbert I.). Some
Mexican problems. (Lectures on the Harris Foundation, 1926).
7926.55-7.
129. Sec. 3133. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Year-
book. 1920. 68-9.
130. Sec. 3133. Tannenbaum (Frank). Mexican agrarian revolution.
1930. 426.
131. Sec. 314. Shepherd (William Robert). Central and South
America. (Home university library of modern knowledge),
1914. 193.
132. Sec. 3141. American Library Association. Bulletin. 23' 1929.
315.
133. Sec. 3142. international conciliation. 1928. 346.
134. Sec. 3151. Dictionary of American biography. 3, 1920. 500.
135. Sec, 3151. Gardiner (Alfred George). Pillars of society. 1914. 88.
136. Sec. 3153. Manual of public benefactions of Andrew Carnegie.
1919. I.
137. Sec. 3154. Ibid, 210.
138. Sec. 3155. Ibkl 207,
139. Sec. 3155. ibid^ 206.
140. Sec. 3155. Carnegie Rural Library Conference. London. 1920.
Proceedings. 12.
428
BIBLIOGRAPHY
141. Sec, ,3:156. Manuai of .public benefactloiis of Andrew Carnegie,
191.9. :2,!0. .
142. Sec. 323. Ferguson (Milton' J). Memorandum: Libraries in the
'Union, of South .Africa, Rhodesia and Kenya Colony.
, .(Carnegie Corporation of New York, African report series, 2).
!929. 10.
143. Sec. 332. World Association for- Adult Educatioo. International
handbook of adult education. 1929. 41.
144. Sec. 332, Russell (William Fletcher), Schools in Bulgaria, with
special reference to the influence of the Agrarian' ,Par!y on
elementary- and secondary education. (Studies of the. Inter-
national Institute of Teachers’' College, Columbia University, 1),
1-924. 25.
145. Sec.. 3332. Mitraiiy (David), Land and the peasant in Rumania,
the war and the agrarian reform (1917-21), 1930.509.
146. Sec. 334. World Association for Adult Education. Internationa!
handbook of adult education. 1929, 476.
147. Sec. 336. Masaryk (Thomas Garrigue). Making of a state,
memoirs and observations 1914-1918, tr by Henry Wickham
Steed. 1927. 15.
148. Sec. 336. Ibid. 18.
149. Sec. 336. School life. 15. 1914. 113.
150. Sec. 3362, 13. 1912. 129.
151. Sec, 3363../W. 13. 1912. 129.
152. Sec, 3363. Statesman’s year-book. 1930. 775.
153. Sec. 3363. /6/W, 127.
154. Sec. 3365. World Association for Adult Education. International
handbook of adult education. 1929. 62-3.
155. Sec. 337. Education year-book. 1926. 321.
156. Sec. 3371, World Association for Adult Education. International
handbook of adult education. 1929. 349,
157. Sec. 338. International conciliation. 1929. 590-1.
158. Sec. 3381. Finkevitch (Albert Petrovich). New education in the
Soviet Republic tr...by Nucis Periamutter ... ed by George
S. Counts. 1929. 32.
159. Sec, 3381. Ibid. 374-5. ' ,
160. Sec. 3382. Goode (William Thomas). School teachers and
scholars in Soviet Russia. 1929. 61-3;
161. Sec. 3383. Pinkevitch (Albert Petrovich). New education in the
Soviet Republic tr..,by Nucis Ferlamutter ... ed by George
S, Counts. 1929. 380-1.
!62. Sec. 3383- Soviet Union year-book. 1929. 479, 487,
163. Sec, 3384. Harper (Samuel Northrup). Civic training in Soviet
Russia, 1929. 273.
429
Fi'VELAWS OF L I B'R A R Y S C I E N C E
' 164.,, Sec. "3385, W news ■ bulletin. 'of.. the Russian Society for
..Gulturai Relations. . . ■ '
.165. Sec. 3386. Madras Library' Association. Annual report. 2. 1930.
..'21-2.'
166. 'Sec.' 3387. ■ Hindu. 23 Oct 1930. ■
167. Sec ' 341. Young (Ernest). Finland, the land of a thousand 'lakes.
■1912,208-9.
168. Sec. 341 , Statesman’s year-book, 1930.837.
169. Sec. 341 1. Young (Ernest). Finland, the land of a thousand^
lakes. 1912. .210.
170. Sec. 3413. World Association for Adult Education. International
handbook of adult education. 1929. 122.
171. Sec. 342. Ame.rican Library Association, Bulletin. 20. 1926. 257.
172. Sec. 343', Guinchard (Azel John Josef). Ed. Sweden, part I,-—
land and people— -historical and statistical handbook, 1914.
383-4.
173. Sec. 3431. School life, 15. 1914. 113.
174. Sec. 344. Sandiford (Peter). Ed. Comparative education, studies
of the educational systems of six modern nations by H .W. Foght
etc. 1918. 439.
175. Sec. 3443. Brochner (Jessie). Danish life in town and country.
1911. 28.
176. Sec. 353. American Library Association. Bulletin. 20. 1926. 202,
177. Sec, 354. Statesman’s year-book. 1930.677.
178. Sec. 3561. Great Britain. Public Libraries Committee. Report on
public libraries in England and Wales. 1927.240.
179. Sec. 3562. Carnegie Rural Library Conference. London, 1920.
■■ i2'-3: .
180. See. 3563. County Library Conference. Great Britain. 2. 1924.10.
181. Sec. 3621 . American Library Association. Library Extension
Board. Library extension, a study of public library conditions
and needs. 1926. 80.
182. Sec. 371. Bland (John Otway Percy). China, Japan and Korea
1921. 176-8.
183. Sec. 371 1. Nitobc (Inezo Ota). Japanese traits and foreign
influences. 1927. 15.
184. Sec. 3711 . Sharp (William Hastings). Educational system of
Japan. (India. Education (Director-General of — ). Occasional
reports, 3). 1906. 28. . ,
185. vSee. 3712. Statesman’s year-book. 1930. 1,050.
186. Sec. 374, South Indian teacher. 3. 1930. 537.
187. Sec. 381. Punjab. Instruction (Director of Public Report on
the progress of education in the Punjab, 1927-28. 66.
BIBLIOGRAPHY ,
188. Sec. .382.' India. 'Education (Commissioner 'for':— ). /Progress .of
education in India, 1922-27. 268-9. '
189. Sec. 383. /!?/£/. 269. '
190. Sec. .3851. Dutt (Newton Mohun). Baroda and its libraries..
- . 1928. 21-2.
191. Sec.41i. Bible. Exodus. Chap 16. Verse 4.
192. Sec. '4122. Bishop (William Warner) and Keogh (Andrew). Ed,-
' Essays offered to Herbert Putnam... on his thirtieth anniversary
as Librarian of Congress, 4 April 1929. 1929. 1,370.
193. Sec. .413. Great Brita.in. Public Libraries Committee. Report . on.
public libraries in England and Wales. 1927. 23.
194. Sec, 414. Journal, Statistical Society of London. 16. 1853.250-81..
195. Sec. 4143.. Edwards (Edward). Memoirs of libraries, including a.
handbook of library economy. 1. 1859.
Edwards (Edward). Free town libraries, their formation^
management, and history in Britain, France, and America,,
together with a brief notice of book-collectors, and of the
respective places of deposit of their surviving collections. 1869.
196. Sec. 418. Great Britain. Indian Statutory Commission. Interim
report... Review of the growth of education in British India by
the Auxiliary Committee appointed by the Commission. 1929.
43.
197. Sec. 418. India. Education (Commissioner for— ), Progress of
education in India. 9. 1923. 1. 2'3.
198. Sec. 418. 122.
199. Sec. 418. Yeaxlee (Basil Alfred). Working of the Fisher Act, the
human aspect of the continuation schools, 1921. 78.
200. Sec. 418. India, Education (Commissioner for— ). Progress of
education in India. 9. 1923. 1. 263.
201. Sec. 418. Great Britain. Agriculture in India (Royal Commission
on — ). Report. 1928. 45-8.
202. Sec. 418. Great Britain. Medical Oifhcer (Chief State—). Annual
report. 1927,
203. Sec. 418, India. Public Health Commissioner. Annual report.
1927, 233.
204. Sec. 418. Gore (John K). World’s war against disease. 1911. 54.
205. Sec. 418. Carnegie Rural Library Conference. London. 1920.
Proceedings. 66-7.
206. Sec. 418. Bishop (William Warner) and Keogh (Andrew). Ed.
Essays offered to Herbert Putnam. -on his twentieth anniversary
as Librarian of Congress, 5 April 1929. 1929. 373-4.
207. Sec. 461. Iwinski (M. B). Statistique Internationale des-
imprimis in Institut Iiiternationaf de Bibliographic, bulletin.
16, 1911, 1-139.
431
FIVE LAWS./OF ' LlB^RARy. .SCIENCE
208. Sec. 461. Bishop" (William Warner)' and' Koegli (Andrew). Ed,
Essays offered' to. Herbert Putnam... on his thirtieth anniversary
as Librarian of 'Co-ngress, 5 April 1929. 1929. 114.: ,
209. Sec. 462. Baker (Ernest Albert). Ed, Uses of libraries. 1927. 7.
210. Sec. 466. Ibid, 4. .
2! !, Sec. 473.: Bostwlck (Arthur Elmre). Public lib:rary ' in the United
' States., 1929. 51.
212. Sec,' 474. Carnegie United Kingdom Trust. Sonrie i,o:ipressiG!is
of the public library system of America. 1927. 45»6.
213. 'Sec. 515. ' Popular science monthly. 1904.
214'. Sec. 516. Jansow (Laura M). -Ed. Library without the v/a'I'is,
reprints of papers and addresses.-(C!assics of ,A,roericaii lib:rariaii-
ship ed. by Artliur E. Bostwlck, 6). 1 927,; 204-1 3. ■
2l5:m:.Sm,Ibid.2W,-
216.. 5ec., 517. iM. 187.
217, Sec.' 561. ' Ranganathan- (Shiyaii Ramamrita). Ed. First All Asia
Educati.ona! Conference, papers offered, to the Library Service
Section. 1930. 429.
■2'!8.' Sec. 562. Ame,rican Library Association. Bulletin. ' 24. 1930.
458-6,2.,
219. Sec. 563. — . Library Extension 'Board. Library extension, a
study of public library conditions and needs. 1926. 102,
,220. Sec. 5643. McCo.lvm (Lionel Roy). Library extension work ■ and
publicity. 1927. 179-80.
221. Sec. 5645. Ranganathan (Shiyali Ramamrlta). Ed. First All Asia
Educational Conference, papers offered to the Library Service
Section. 1930. 431.
222. 'Sec.': 5645. Bulletin, American Library Association. 24. 1930. 464.
223. Sec. 5646. Ibid. 459.
224. Sec. 5741. McCoIvin (Lionel Roy). Library extension work and
publicity. 1927. 142.
225. Sec. 611. Rawlings (Gertrude Burford), British Museum Librar>.
1916. 164.
226. Sec. 612. Brown (James Duff). Plea for liberty reprinted in
Stewart (J. W. D.). Open access libraries, 1915.
227. Sec. 615. — . Manual of library economy, 1907. 342.
228. Sec. 691. Library of Congress. Report of the Librarian of
Congress. 1901. 68-73.
229. Sec. 691. Bishop (William Warner) and Koegh (Andrew). Ed,
Essays offered to Herbert Putnam... on his thirtieth anniversary
as Librarian of Congress, 5 April 1929, 195-206.
230., Sec. 7! I. Bishop (William Warner). Backs of books f Addresses
delivered at the commencement exercises, Library School, New
York Public Library, June 12, 1914). 1914. 5.
432
BIBLIOGRAPHY
231. Sec. 715. ' WorkS' (George' Allen). College .and university
problems, a study of selected group, of institutions, prepared
/ . for the Association of American 'Universities. 1927. 124-a'.
232. Sec. 741. Library Association. .Great Britain,. Proceedings of the
; fiftieth conference. 1927.76.'
233. Sec. 756. Maeterlinck (Maurice). Life of the bee, tr by Alfred
Sutro. 1927. Chap 3. Sec. 54.
234. Sec. 765. Wells (Herbert George). Men like gods, a novel. ,1928.
235. Sec. 77. Bhagavad-Glta. . Chap 2. Verses 22-4.,
236. Sec. 80. Nature. 164; 1949 ; 202.
237. Sec. 801. Pearson (Karl). Grammar of science. Ed 2. 1900. 12.
238. Sec. 801. Jevons (William Stanely). Principles of science : A
treatise on logic and scientific method. Ed 2. 1877. 1.
239. Sec, 801. Omar Khayyam. .Rubaiyat rendered into English verse
by Edward Fitzgerald. 1 892. Verse 99.
240. Sec. 8163. Whittaker (Edmund Taylor). Science and spirit.
1947.
241. Sec. 818. Popper (K R). New foundations of logic (in Mind,
56; 1947; 133, 134, 135).
242. Sec. 844. Shaw (Ralph R). use of photography for clerical
routines. 1953.
243. Sec. 856, Wells (A Jack), Our debt to India (in Library science
in India, silver jubilee volume presented to the Madras Library
Association, edited by Krishnaswami Ayyar Chandrasekharan.
1953. 63). (Madras Library Association, publication series, 21).
244. See. 861. Classification Research Group, London. Bulletin, 1 ; 2 ;
March 1957.
245. Sec. 862. Cutter (Charles Ammi). Rules for a dictionary catalogue.
1876.
246. Sec. 862. American Library Association. Cataloguing and Classi-
fication Division. Ala cataloguing rules for author and title
entries, ed by Clara Beetle. Ed 2. 1949.
247. Sec. 864. Crossley (CA). Contributions of Ranganathan to
librarianship. (Unpublished thesis for Fellowship of the (British)
Library Association in 1956).
248. Sec. 8721. Charnes (A), Cooper (W. W), and Handerson (A).
introduction to linear programming, 1953.
249- Sec. 877. Ramanujan (Srinivasa). Collected papers ed by
G. H. Hardy, P. V. Seshu Aiyer, and B. N. Wilson. 1927. ix.
{Continued in the next page)
'■■FIVE LAW SCIENCE
Note ; Bibliography of the books and periodicals by or edited
by S. R, Ranganathan, and a few articles by Mm most
of which are referred to in chapters 0 and 8.
250. ' Abgila» l~3 ; 1949-1953 ; the Annals part continued as
251. Annals of library science. 1 — . 1954 —
252. AnuYarga-suchi-kalpa. 1952 (Indian Library Association Hindi
series 3). Jointly with Murari Lai Nagar.
253. Bibliography of reference books and bibliographies. 1941.
- (Madras Library Association, publication series, 10). Jointly
with K. M. Sivaraman.
254. Canons of terminology in Abgila 1, 1950.
255. Che'que book of five leaves for librarians in' Granthalaya 2, 12,
1956, Dec., 1-13 '
256. Glassification and communication. 1951. (University of Delhi,
library science series, 3).
257. Classification and international documentation. 1948. (FID
publication, 227).
258. Classification, coding, and machinery for search. 1950. (Unesco
publication).
259. Classification of Marathi literature. 1945.
260. Classification of Telugu literature. 1947.
261. Classified catalogue code. Ed 1, 1934. Ed 2, 1945. Ed 3. 1951.
(Madras Library Association, publication series, 4, 13, 17). Ed
4 in preparation.
262. Colon classification. Ed 1 , 1933, Ed 2, 1939. Ed, 3, 1950. Ed
4, 1952. Ed 5, 1957. (Madras Library Association, publication
series, 3, 8, 16, 19, 22).
263. Depth classification and reference service materials : Symposium
of papers offered to the Tenth Ail India Library Conference,
1953, Hyderabad. 1953. (Indian Library Association, English
series, 6).
264. Dictionary catalogue code. Ed 1, 1945. Ed. 2, 1952. (Madras
Library Association, publication series, 14, 18).
265. Documentation in many lands (4) in Annals of library science.
266. Education for leisure. Ed 1, 1946. Ed 2, 1949. Ed 3, 1954. (Indian
Adult Education Association, English series 1, 7).
267. Elements of library classification. 1945. Ed 2 in the press.
268. Five laws of library science. Ed 1, 193L Ed 2, 1957. (Madras
Library Association, publication series, 2, 23).
269. Granth adhyayanath hai. 1948. (Indian Library Association,
Hindi series, 1).
270. Granthalaya-prakriya. 1950. (Indian Library Association, Hindi
series, 2). Jointly with Murari Lai Nagar.
434
BIBLIOGRAPHY
27L Heading and canons': Comparative study of five catalogue: codes.
■ .1955.
272. Indian library directory. 1951. (Indian Library Association,
English series, 5). Jointly with S. Das Gupta and Magnaaand.
,273. Library administration.' 1935. (Madras Library Association,
publication series, 5).
/274. Library book' selection. 1952. (Indian Library Association,
English series, 4).
275. Library catalogue : Fundamentals and procedure. 1950. (Madras
Library Association, publication series, 15).
276. Library classification : Fundamentals and procedure. 1944.
(Madras Library Association, publication series, 12).
277. Library development plan for the University of Allahabad. 1947.
(Reprinted in the Mootham Report on Allahabad University,
1953).
278. Library development plan with a draft library bill for Bombay.
1947.
279- Library development plan with a draft library bill for the
United Provinces. 1949,
280. Library development plan with a thirty-year programme for India
and with draft library bills for the Union Government and the
Constituent States. 1950. (University of Delhi, library science
series, 2).
281. Library legislation: Handbook to the Madras Libi-ary Act.
1953. (Madras Library Association, publication series, 20).
282. Library manual. 1950. (Indian Library Association, English
series, 2). Jointly with K. M. Sivaraman.
283. Library tour, 1948, Europe and America: Impressions and
reflections. 1950. (Indian Library Association, English series.
1). ,
284. Literature for neo-literates : proceedings of the Third National
Seminar on Adult Education. 1953. (Indian Adult Education
Association, English series 6).
285. Mechanisation in library service in the Bulletin of the Indian
Association of Special Libraries and Information Centres, 1956,
286. Sec. 8771 and Sec. 8861. Memorandum to the Madras Minister
of Education in Annual Report of the Madras Library Associa-
tion, 28, 1955, 3-7."
287. Sec. 8852. Message for the Third Ail Hyderabad Library Con-
. ference in Granthalaya, 2, 1956, Dec. 16-1 8).
288. Model library act. 1931. (Madras Library Association, legislative
series, 1).
289. Model public library bill. 1941.
290. National library system : A plan for India. 1946.
435
: :':.¥IYE,I^A'W:S of. library science ; :
291. Organisation, of libraries. Ed I, ,1946. Ed 2» 1956. (TeacMngin
India series, 14).
292. Pa,pers offered to the Library Service Section of the First All Asia
■ . Educational Conference, 1 930, Banaras, 2 V. 1 930-193 1 .
293. Philosophy , of library classification. 195! (Libri series,
Gopenhagen).
294. Post-war reconstruction of libraries in India. 1944. (Library in
India series, 1).
295. Preface to library science. 1948. (University of Delhi, library
science series, 1).
296. Prolegomena to library classification. Ed 1. 1947. (Madras
Library Association, publication series, |6). Ed 2. 1957. (Library
Association- Great Britain).
297. Reference service and bibliography, 1940. (Madras Library
Association, publication series, 9). Jointly with C. Sundaram.
298. Rural adult education. 1949. (Indian Adult Education Associa-
tion, English series, 2).
299. School and college libraries. 1942. (Madras Library Association,
publication series, 11).
300. Social bibliography: Physical bibliography for librarians,
authors, and publishers. 1952. (University of Delhi, library
science series, 4).
301. Social education literature for authors, artists, librarians, printers,
publishers, and governments. 1952. (Indian Adult Education
Association, English series, 5).
302. Theory of library of library catalogue. 1938 (Madras Library
Association, publication series, 7).
303. Training in library science 1-6 in Abgila and Annals of library
science.
304. Union catalogue of learned periodicals in South Asia. 1953,
(Indian Library Association, English series, 7). Jointly with
others.
305. University reform in contemporary India. 1952. (Educational
review, Madras).
306. Retrospective bibliography of learned periodicals published in
Asia. Completed in 1955. The type-script is with the Unesco.
■ Paris. ^
INDEX
The refereace is to' chapters or sections as the case may be.
I r / = in relation to-
r i r t « referred in relation to
Abnormals Eoirnd Table
Absolute Position
Accessibility
Accession , '
register
work
Adult education
as extension work
centres in Delhi
in Hungary .
Afghanistan
Alumni
American College, Teheran
Lib Association i rt
Central cataloguing
Lib publicity
Amherst College
Analytical cataloguing
241 Belgium
624 Bengal Lib Association
525 Bibliography
i r t
687 I Fitst law
683 1 Fourth law
Librarian
571 Second Law
885 of bibliog
335 Professor of
374 Birmingham
272 Blind / r t
374 Braille book
3 1 1-3123 Sound record
691 Bliss
562 Bodleian Lib / r t
14; 142 Lib hours
*533
354
384
1714 ■
65-655'
1714-1715
476-4762'
653
1704
133:.
241
822
861
Analytico-synth Classification 833
Andhra Desa i r t
Lib Act
Lib movement
Anonymous Soc
Apple of Eden
Aristotle
Arnold
Art books
Aslib Conf
Asia
Astras
Atheneum
, ' Atlas A
Australia"
Back of trook ,
/:Baker^
Baroda
8852 i
386
872
174 1
211
. 217
485
8722
37-388 ; 885-8855
333
333
471
361
Old
14
Present
142
Readers
1751
Staff
1712
Book generalised into
document
832
Book-card
673-676
Book-collection
711
Book-hunger
885
Book-pocket
613’616
Book-production
in India
7112
in world
7111
i r t%c method
865
633-6332
144
385-3851
437
Book-rack i r t
Adjustability
Door, lock etc
Fifth law
First law
Height
713
16
713
16
16
FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
..Book-rack If r; .
Card catalogue
726
' , P,ictare ,
713
— size
. 726
; Shelf-label
716
— system
68
. ■ Signal guide
631
Care-taker
170
. : Specification ■ App
Book-selection i r t
1
— librarian
Carnegie
173
\ Fourth 'law'
:684 1
Benefactions
3123-323
Sc method
866 ;
Biography
3151
. Second law 461-464 |
Gospel of wealth
. Third law
58 i
]
i r t lib movement in
3151
Book-tag
633 ;
East Africa
3291
Book-thief,
517 i
Gr Brit
356-3562
Book-troliey
746 '
Mexico
3132
Book- week .
5631
South Africa
32-3281
Boone Unive Lib School r Ir t
South America
3142
First law
1726
USA
315
Second law
373
Corp of New York r i r t ..
Braille book
241
India
3124
Branch library / r t
Its institution
3154
Fourth law
6921
Lib Surv in Amer
312-3123
Br Council
884 i
South Africa
3281
Br ^ Mus Lib ,r' / r t
— Endowment for International
Central cataloguing
6911
Peace / r t
Closed system
611
Mexico
3B2
Br Nat Bibliog r i r i
Pan- Amer Union
3142
Centralised classification
— United Kingdom Trust r i 'r t
and cataloguing
841
County libraries
2322
Chain procedure
856
India
2323
Brougham
217
Lib Act
■ 3562
Brown
872
Lib poster
2364
Subj Classification
732
Sea-farers’ Lib
26
Bulgaria .
332
Catalogue/ rl
Fifth law
64
■California i r t
Fourth law
64
Lib publicity
562
Third law
53
■Fosters '
5646
i — card; ;
726'
Window display
5644
staff / r t
Cambridge shine i r t
Fourth law
. , 643
Book-selection
2365
Third law
.,'■■,.'.534
Lib rate
415
Cataloguing
Reading habit
2385
confused with indexing
723
Camel theory
271
Co-operative
■447‘:^S62
Canada
3122
Ceiling book
■■■'„■ '.■;V^'822:
Canvassing agent
541
Central and S Amer
3I32-3I42,
438
INDEX
Centralised
cataloguing
691
, classification and cat
841
' in Madras
8851
Chained library .
121
Chain: procedure
856
Chair of Lib Sc in
. Gottingen
473
, Madras
8772
Chalnkya King
1737
Charging method ,
674
Charing Cross taiior
214
Chase
178
Chatikasala
1737
Chicago
133
— University
73
Child-growth
85-85!
Children’s books
821
library in
Baroda
3851
Poland
337
Sweden
3431
China
Boone Lib School
1726
Library for the blind
241
Library movement
373
Chinglepnt District
387
Chitaiista ■
332
Chorus of lib movement
25
City-folk and country-folk
23
City lib system.
6921
Clapp
873
Classes and masses'
21
Classification i f ' 1
, ; Fifth law
73
Its general theory
861
.'Sc method
861
Resea,rch : Circle
861
'---:sche:^^
732
€i assified arrangement i r ^ t
Fifth law
73
Fourth law
622
Third law
52
':Clerk-librariaB.^,;;'' ' :■
173
Cleveland
:■ ,',"133
Closed system ■ ,
6i:
College librarian
,.'1735
— library
137-138
Colon Ciassifieation
733
Columbia College
:14
Columbus
764
Community intelligence
service
■■ 1772
Conserving library
851
Contract service
887
Co-operative cataloguing
447,
— ^purchase of books
8851
—societies
2363,
Cornell University
142
Cottage library
', 338
Council on library resources 873
County Institute
361
County library' see Rural library
Craft-centred book
825
Crisis in sc method 8 ! 48-8 149
Cross-reference / r t
Bibliography
654-655
Its economics
644-646
Fourth law
64
Second law
4781
Staff
643
Third law
531-534
Culture centre
338
Cutter
732
Czechoslovakia
336-3365
Balren
372
bas Gupta
8714
Date-slip
483
Davenport
5645
Day-book method of issue
671
Death-rate
418
Decimal Classification
732
Decimal fraction notation
731
Delhi University i r t
Library research
873
Teaching lib sc
8772
FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
Delivery station / r f ■ !
: ■■'Firstiaw., .
133
■ , Fourth law .
692-6922
■/, Second law
362
Denmark />■/ ,
, . Death rate
418
: ■ Library movement
344-3443
Dennison’s tag
6331
Departmental Conf
418
Depth classification
833
DeS' Moines r i r t I
Library publicity
651
' Radio publicity
5645
Desiree Library Law
354
Detroit Pub Lib '
474
Dewey r i r L .
Amer Lib Association
311
Dec Classification
731
Dec fraction notation
732
Dictionary
477
Director of Libraries
8851
D’rectory
477
Discharging
676
District Board '
Punjab
381
United Provinces
382
District Librarian i r t
Difficulties
238
Need
2361
Status
8771
District library see Rural library
Document
832
Documentation
83
service
832
International
843
National
843
Dublin Pub Lib
133
Economic pressure
83
Economics of
Catalogue
644
Library finance
4121
Edinburgh i r t
Branch library
133
Edinburgh i r t
Library hours
14;
— University Lib
1702
Educational Counsellor for
Readers
: 474
Electronic charging
844
Elementary education
418
Encyclopaedia
.477.
Enumerative classification
833
Esclusham Below
2386
Europe ir t
Library movement
33-3563
Second law
2176
Ewart Act
356
Ewart Bill
2151
Exhibition
576
— room
16
Expansive Classification
732
Extension service
57
Extra-reading
1707
Facet analysis
833
Fair
578
Farmington Plan
855
Federal Government
886
Federal Lib Act
43
Festival
578
FID Comm on General Theory
of Glassification
861
Fifth law
7 ; 85
Finance and legislation
411-415;
■886
See also Library finance
Fine Hall
418
Finland
341-3413
First law
;. i ; 8!8
Fisherman boy
....,,.,2171.
Fitting
,.. ,'.7I2.
Five laws / r t
Enunciation
Exposition
06,'
Publication
07
Floor- level
746
Foik-High-School
■:.":''.'344,
440
moBx
Ford Foundation ,
Fourtli law ,
France irt
Library movement
■ Schooi library
Future of library
Gangway
Garden library
Garibaldi
General Theory of Classifi'
cation* committee on
Germany
Central cataloguing
Library for the blind
Library movement
873
6 ; 84
353
141
765-77
16
135
352
861
6811
241
351-3516;
883
883
1702
Recent progress
Glasgow
Goddess of Learning
Gottingen
Graduation book
Great Britain ir/
Central cataloguing
and classification
Library Act 2151-216 ; 356 ;
414
— for the blind 241
— movement 356-3565 ; 882
28
473
1702
6911
841
Hanuman
Harper
Harvard librarian
irt Inyentry
Hawaiian Islands
Heart of the school
Helsinki
Hive-spirit
Hoarding tendency
Hofmann
Holland
Hollingworth
Hospital library
Hours see Library hours
Hulme
Human wealth
Hungary
Hyderabad
Hypotheses
^3156'.",
■ : 1704,^'
1703
" 126
362-362!
: T70S.;
3412
V. 756
' : 122-126
,3515-3516
' 355
2252.
■ 24!
— publicity
— rate
— school
— tax' :■
Open access
Recent progress
Rural library
G.reece'
Growth in size
■■'■Guldes^
Guppy
Gwyer
Hagerstown Free Tib ,
5631
3564
1725 ; 8711-8712
414
614-615
882
2322
331
71
63
2151
873
2321
3563
872
4122
335
8852
815
571
Hiiterates
Imperial Library
India 8771
Japan
Index to periodicals 651
Indexing taken for cataloguing
1723
India irt
Death rate
Disturbing factors
Library movement
Research in lib sc
Rural library
Second law
Indian Lib Association
Indian Standards Inst
Indicator system
Industries
Insdoc
Insaoc list
Institute of Fascist Culture
418
8853
38-388 ;
885-8855
873-876 ;
8772-8782
236-238
218-2182
885
8753
615
8751
8752
06
3522
441
L.S.— 28''
fi v e L a W S- : O F LI b r a r y, science
Inst itute, of Research
':„■ in Lib Sc
873-876
Intellectual centre ■
574
Inter-library loan i r t
Denmark
3441
Germany
3513
Specialist reader
827
State initiative
444
intermediate coll lib
1706
Internatioiial book-
production
7111
Comm of Lib Experts
887
— Conf of Amer States
3142
— Co-operative cataloguing
6912; 841
— Federation for Documen-
tat ion i r t
Classification
861
Unesco
888
— Study Conf on Classification
861
— transfer of books
753
Iowa
5645
. Isba ■
3382
Issue work i r t
Fifth law
74-742
Fourth law
67
Italian Feder of Pub Lib
3521
Italy
352-3522
Japan IrL '
Library movement
371-3713
Library publicity
5631
Second law
2176
Japanese Lib Association
3713
Jesus College
1751
Johannesburg
326
Kalaksfiepam
5751
Kalamazoo binder
724
Kaleidoscope
543
Kanagasabhai Pillai
6923
Kannada inscription
1737
Kansas legislator
711
Karnatajka
Keeper of Books
Kellett Hall lecture
Kent
Kenya
Kerala
Krishna
Krishnaswamy Ayyar
LaheWioMer see Siielf-Iabei
Ladder 16
— of learning 217
Lakshmaea 174
Latin America 314
Laws of Lib Science i r t
Enunciation 05
Exposition 06
Publication 07
League of Lib Commissions
3122
Lecture-room 16
Ledger method of issue i r t
Fifth law 744
Fourth law 67!
Third law 575
Legislation see Library Act
Leipzig Institute i r t
Reference service 472
Second law 3515
Lenin 3381
— ‘ corner 3382
Libraco r i rt
■ Card ' 726
■Tag 6331
Librametry 86
Librarian i r $
■■ Initiai difficulties ' , 228
Pioneering work , ■ 1781
.Research' '8772-8782
^ Status,' ■ T732-,!;737; 877-8771
■ ■' ■ in medieval India 1 737
Library
■ ■: as Community Centre 486
as Instrument nf Educatioii 4IB
8852
170,1
132
2386
3291
8852
18
.07
442
INDEX
'Library— ;
v.as Intellectwai Centre
^ as Social. Centre :
Evolution of
see also '
, . Brancli library
„ College library
Intermediate college lib
Library movement
School library
Travelling library
Library Act in
Andhra
Belgium
Bombay '
Bulgaria
Czechoslovakia
Denmark'
Finland
Great Britain
Hyderabad
Hungary
India
Kerala
Japan
Madras
Maharashtra
Mexico
Mysore
Poland
South Africa
Sweden
Library Act / r t
Ministry of Education
Second law
Library Act, Model
Library administration
Library architecture
Library Association in
.. .. Andhra ■
Bengal
China
Finland
France
574
57
76
356;
885-
8852
354
8852
332
3361
3441
3411
4141
8852
335
■8855
8852
3712
8851
8852
313
8852
3371
328
3431
3364
418
42-43
864
712-72
386
384
„ .. 373
3411
353
Library Association in-
'Germany ■
Holland
India
Italy
Japan
Madras
Poland
South Africa
USA
Library Authority I rf,
. Book-selection
Cross-reference work
Growth of staff
Growth of stock . ■'
Its obligations
Open access
Size of reading room
Technical staff
Library bill see Library Act
Library exhibition
Library expenditure in
Czechoslovakia
Denmark
Finland
Great Britain
Hawaii •
Madras
Mexico
South Africa
Sweden
USA
Library evolution
Library Extension
Committee
Library family
Library finance ?
First law
Second law
Source
■■■ ; 'see also Lib expenditure
Library for the blind
Library furniture
; Library grant and staff
,3514
,'355 ,
■ 885
.352!,.:,.
3713:'
. 387 ,
■ 3371
', V32,8 ■
311-3123
, 581'
534
75
7121
46,
' ' ^ 51.6.
741
644
576
3363
3442
3413"
3554 ■
362!
; 8851
313
328
343!
312!
76
3123
854
143
412-418
886
241
16
8851
3363
443
FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE
Xibrary habit
Firstlaw , ,
16
Second law;
3443
Library hours ,
14-144
—“Inspectorate
3441
legisiation see Library Act
location / r ^
First law
13
Fourth law
692
University library
453
Library Magna' Charta'
887
Library movement
3
Library of Congress r i r t
Classification
732
Co-operative cataloguing 447
Mexico
3132
Library organisation i r t
Fifth law
71
India
867
Library profession i r t
First law
172-1727
Sc method
871-8782
Library publicity
56-578
Library rate
in Finland
3413
in Great Britain / r t
3564
Lib finance
886
Lib legislation
3371
Library records
68-688
Library rules i 1 1
Fifth law
7451
Fourth law
48-4871
Library school
1727 ; 387 ;
8772
Library spirit •
77
Library staff i r /
Bibliography
476-4762
Catalogue
478-4781
Fifth law
75-756
Firstlaw,,
17-18
Fourth 'few
68-6912
Its nationalisation
8851
. Issue,' work
743-7451 I
Kn,ow,ledge
1771 1
Library staff / r >—
Library publicity
■5641
Psychology
176-175
Readers
175-176
Second law 466; 47-4781
Specialisation
752; 8851
Spirit of the hive
756
Staff Council
' ■ 754
State grant
8851
Third law
54-544
Library system
44
Library talk
575
Library week
3713
Life Insurance Co.
4122
Lindsay
170!
Lisbon
135
Local bodies
41!
Location see Library location
Lodz
337
Long range ref service
663
Loose leaf catalogue
724-725
Loss in open access
516
Lytton
16
MacAIister
172
Macro thought
835
Madras i r t
Centralised cataloguing 885 1
Library Act
8851
7 r f subscription
886
Library education
1721; 387;
873; 8772
— expenditure
3363; 8851,
— movement 387-3973; 8851
— research
873; 8772
— system
, , ,,442
Madras colleges
Madras Lib Association / r t _
Book-production
1386 tl387;'^
3386
Library Act
8851
— movement
387
— publicity
— school
mi; 38r
444
INDEX
M adras Lib Association i r t ,
■■ '■ 'Ministry , of Education / r./', ,
Rural library
2323
Co-ordinatmgTunGtibn' 44
Status .of District Librarian
. lib .movement in .
8771
Bulgaria
'332
; Tamil books ■ ;
3386
China
'''.373
M.adras University i r t
Czechoslovakia ■
"'336
Chair in Lib Sc
873;8772
Finland
' : ; ^ .3412:
Research in lib sc
873
Great Britain
: 3,562
Summer School
1727; 387
Holland' ■
, ,',.355
' /Teaching of , lib sc
8772
Hungary
183
Madras University Library / r t .
India
38;8853
Colon Classification ■
733
Japan , ' 3712-3713'
Cross-reference'
654
Mexico
313-3131
Growth of issue
5648
Norway'
342
Issue method (old)
671
Rumania
333-3331
Library hours
142
Russia
3385
Library publicity
5648
Sweden
3431
Madras Library Act
8851
Yugoslavia
334
Open access
613
lib schools
1726
Periodicals
651
Missouri
14
Shelf-guide
631
Model Library Act
42-43
Shelf-label
632
Modular design
717
Shelf-plank
714
Mohammad of Ghazni
1707
Tags
6331
Money-sieve
886
Magazine room
55
More
,231
Magna Carta
887
Moscow Lib School
2152
Magnetic tape
844
MuUerott
853-854
Maharashtra
8852
Music
5752
Malabar District
387
Mutilation of classification 735
Manchester
133
Manchuria
372
Nagai inscriptions
1737
Manna
411
National documentation
843
Mannargudi
6923
library system
■ 44-447
Maryland
23
National Professor of Lib
Masaryk Institute
3365
Science
8773
Mechanisation
844
Neo-literates
824
Melavasal
i6923
New York
Men and women
22-226
County library
6942
Metropolitan Life Insurance
Public library
5643
Co,
4122
State Coll of Agric
2387
Mexico
313-3134
New Zealand
418
Micro-film deposit
851
Newspaper room
55
Micro thought
835
Normative principles
815
445
FIVE LAWS OF' LIBRARY SCIENCE
.Norway : .
342
' Poland : 337-337!
NorwegiaE: fislier-boy
2171
Poole
1704
Novelty
523
. Popular departments
.55
Nut ,
355 ;
3872
Pre-card days
682
Pre-natal classification '
' 842
Ohio
23
. Pre-natal documentation
84.3.
Open access ;
President of Village Panchayat
. and '■
.2363
: Fifth law
743
Press and lib publicity
564!'
. First law
16
Price
1751
' Fourth law.
616
Princeton University
14-
Reference service
54
.Printed catalogue
722
Third law
51
Prison library
241
Disservice to
748
Private benefaction
418
Economics of
614
Process chart
68.1
in Sweden
3431
Productivity drive.
826
Safeguards in
747
Professor-in-charge of lib
1706
Order work
685
Prussian State Library
3511
Oregon University
142
Public health and lib
Over-due book
4831
-4832
movement
418
Public library see Library
Pacy
1711
movement
Paiacky
336
Punched card
844
Pan American Union
3142
Punjab
38 i
Paste-down catalogue
723
People’s House
338
Queen’s Jubilee
356
People’s Schools Association
337
Quincy
128
Periodicals/ f A
Quincy Plan 71!
;852
Cross-reference work
651
. .'Loan
486
Radio
5645'
Rate of increase
715
Railway library
372
Periodicals room
715
Rajagopalachari
80
Periodicals table
716
Rama
-. 174
.■ .Picture : ■
716
Raman
877,
Specification
App 2
Ranganathan r / r t
Persia. . .. ^
374
■ ..BNB'
856
Pestalozzi
3381
Cataloguing
862
Peterson
561
■ ' Chain procedure '
856
Phase analysis
833
Classification
86!
Philosophy professor
125
Lib administration
864
Photographic administration
844
Library Magna Carta
887
Physical bibliography
865
Status of Dist Librarian
8771
Physical form of catalogue
721
Teaching of lib science
8714
Place
214
Travelling library
6923-
446
■ INDEX ,
. .Ravenstein- ^
134
Rural library i r /
j , Raya'.'Narayaiia ,
1717
' ■ Fourth law ■
6922
j Reaiiers
Government’s passivity
3563
1 aad their obligations
48-4871
Great Britain
; 2322 ,
/ . ; as a nuisance
175
Madras
' ,m2: '
1 r 'f Fifth law'
74-748
Malabar
■■■■387
, Readers* advisers
473
Second daw ;
23-2387. .
Reading circle
573
Sweden
.,:343! 7'
. Reading room / r r
Rural Lib Conf
, , 3562
I , Fifth law
741
Russia i r t
Tv , First law
16
Central cataloguing
69! I V
Ready reference service
662
Library movement
338-3385^,
Ready reference service
662
Rutger’s University
873
Recent additions shelf
522
Refectory
16
Samtefidar
. 281 .
Reference books 1 r /
San Francisco
m
Library staif
" 477
Santa Maria
764
Loan
484
Sarada Rar inathan Chair i r t
Reference service i r t
Its influence
8782
First law
177-18
Research
8772
Fourth law
66-665
Saraswati
28
Lib training
3515
Satyamurti
132
Second law
47-478
Sayers rirt
Third law
54-544
Elasticity of classification 73
Wrong notions about it
1723
Science of classification
861
Relative position
623
Scandinavia
34-3443
Religious endowments
418
School librarian
1735
Research departments
453
School library i r t
1
Research in lib science
872-878
Location
136
Research-in-series
831
Mexico
313
Research librarian 8772-8773
Sweden
343-3432
Retiring room
16
Science
■ . . " J;
Ehodesias
3291
Defined
815
1 Richardson
732
Refuted definitions
80-803
' Rolvaag
2171
Scientific lib of Prussia
351
Ross
05
Scientific method
8II-818 ;
Round-table
241
Its genesis in lib science
04 i
Rule of Least Cost
16
Scientific periodicals
351
Rule of Least Space
16
Sea-farers’ Education Society 262
Rumania 333-3332
Sea-farers’ library i r t
f
Rural Community Board
381
England
262 1
Rural librarian i r t
Norway
342
His difficulties
238
State Central Library
445 1
Need for him
2361
Second Law
2-4 ; 82 1
1
447
f
I
i
i
i
FIVE ' LAWS OF HB.RARY SCIENCE
'.Eeries,. entry .532^
■Service library . 852'''
Seven ■HillS' . 135
;Shaw. ' , 844
Sbelf arrangement rrl:
, ....Fonrti-Iaw ■ ' ■ ,62-624
Third law , ' 52-523
Shelf-guide 632
Shelf label i r t
. , Fifth law . 714
Fourth laW' ' 632
.Shelf-pianlc i r t
../.Fifthlaw . 713
. ' Fourth law , ,■„ ; 632
: Size ; ' : im
.■ Shelf-register .■ 121
.Shop-location: analogy 1 34
Show-case 524
Signal guide 631
■ Sivaswaini Aiyar ■ 80
.Size 71
:,„Social .sciences , , 8161
/■■—service ■ .. , ,■ 16
'...— transformation' .■■'.3.13
.Society for Fubiic 'Good .. .355
■.' Society of People’s Libraries . ■ 337
;. :S'ound-proof..ioor V, ■ 16..
Sound-record' of book : . , 822.
" South . Africa' ' . . , :32-328
South America 691!.
South India 8851-8852
, South Indian language's.. ' . . ^ . 572
,■. ■'.South ..Manchurian. Railway ..
■.■..Library r.' 372-
Soviet Gniott /:/ . 338; 3385.
Spain 691 1
■■'■;S.peaking.'feo.QkS''':';, ",■;■ 825'
.:Specles''lbrmation:.; '. ■ . ^ 853'
Specialisation of staff
■. '/'■/...iii'.library^'^:,^^"::':/^ .■■.■■'.■:.'75l'
in library school 874
Spiral of sc method 814-8149'
'■ .:Sphit:of :t.he .hive,':/^^^,./v:^^.''' 756'
Stack architecture 7123
Stack-room^ i r; t
' Fifth law '
7,12
First law
■ 16
Fourth law
Guides
63-632
Stack-tower
7123
Staff Council
754
State i f /
Library system
.68
Second law
41-417
State Central Library
State grant in
■ Baroda
3851
^ ■ Denmark'
3442
■ Finland ■
3413
Hawaii ■
. . 3621
Holland
: .355
Madras
. 885!
Norway
. 342
Sweden
■ '3431;
State Printing Office
■3385
State Library Act
' . 42
Stock-register
681
Story hour
■■'.'.;.. 577
Subject-analytical see
Cross reference . ■
Subject Classification
732
Subramaniam:
8771
Sugriva
174
Sweden
34,3-3432.,
■.Table-space .
Tag
■'.'""■ mi.
Taluk Board '
'■...;:.236.
Tamil Book Selection ■
.. ■ ., .Committee
, 3386'.
.'Tax^-pattern. :/'■.: /^^
■'■'■'■'-88'6
■■'Teaching lib. science'; ■
871-8715
Third law
'■5;'83:
■Tompkins, County, . .
6922
Tonkas fitting^
.713
Tooling
/6333''
Toronto
0.3
Translation
572
448
INDEX
Travelling library, Ib ,
India' 8855
' ' Italy ' 352
Kent ' 2386
Manmrgudi 6923-
Maryland 23
Norway 342
Ohio , 23
Poland 337
Russia ■ 3383
United Provinces 382
/ r t District Board 6922
Turbaned Indian 1761 ■
Two-card system i r t
Fifth law 745
Fourth law 673-676
Under-paid staff 173-1731
Unesco 888
Union catalogue 827
Union Library Act 43
Union of German Republic
Libraries 3514
Union of Polish Librarians 3371
United Nations 887
United Provinces 382
United States ir t
Fconomic value of the
people 4122
Evolution of libraries 418
Information service 884
Library movement 31-3124
University college rirt
Library hours 144
Library staff ’ 1702
University lectures rirt
Laws of Library Science ' . ,06
,UBiversity lectures, r i r i ,'
Library movement, . ■ . ' ■ 387
University librarian , 1735
Unor 3365
Urban library i r i
Location 6921
■ Madras 442
Upanishadic law 11
Viability ,441
Victoria Hostel 134
Village ■boo,k-corresponde'iits 3385
Village cultural centre 338
Village library 381
i r t India 8855
WasMogton Cowty . 232!
Weils 842
Western Reserve University 873
Wisconsin University 3123
Withdrawal work 688
Witwaterstrand University 326
Workshop analogy 16
World Association for Adult
Education 26
Workmen’s books 826
Yale University Library ir t - '
Periodicals 651
Reading room ■ ' , ■ 741
Stack-room 7122
Year-book 477
Yugoslavia 334
Zone analysis 833
Zoology professor 124
Live Music
Archive
Librivox
Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland
Museum of Art
Internet
Arcade
Console Living Room
Open Library
American
Libraries
TV News
Understanding
9/11